Chains of the Fade
by Snow Tempest
Summary: A bloodmage really shouldn't be the Herald of Andraste. Yet here Adalyn still stands after the Conclave with a glowing green mark on her hand and a desire demon still in her head. Will she become an abomination? Or will her growing affection for a certain mercenary keep her from the brink?
1. A Meeting at Haven

Krem was standing outside the chantry and trying to get anyone, anyone who walked out of the building, to listen to him.

"Excuse me-"

The chantry mother walked right past him.

 _Drat._

This was his thirty-somethingnth attempt at conversation with a member of the Inquisition.

He could practically hear the Chief laughing at him if he went back to the Chargers without the interest of the Inquisition. After all, he had been the one to suggest getting hired by the fledgling organization in the first place.

Lost in thought, he didn't notice right away when someone else stepped out of the chantry and paused to look at him.

Krem, after a moment, felt someone's gaze on him. He looked up from the ground and saw dark eyes in a pale face, a little curious smile and a pink-tipped nose from the cold.

A girl was standing there looking straight at him, she was dressed in what appeared to be Inquisition scout armor without the helmet; she could be an agent of the Inquisition.

 _Worth a shot._

"Excuse me. I've got a message for the Inquisition, but I'm having a hard time getting anyone to talk to me." Krem started, hoping she could maybe point him to someone who would listen.

A quick laugh came from the girl's lips, "Everyone always seems to be running somewhere to do something here."

Krem felt his mouth corners turn up as he rocked backwards on his heels, he liked her already, a superior could wait a little while. No. Business. Right.

"I am an agent of the Inquisition and I'd be more than happy to hear your message and pass it on to my superiors. So…" She placed her hands on her hips and looked slightly up at him, "Who are you?"

Krem breathed an internal sigh of relief and began his pitch.

"Lieutenant Cremisius Aclassi with the Bull's Chargers mercenary company. We mostly work out of Orlais and Navarra. We got word of some Tevinter mercenaries out on the Storm Coast. My company commander, Iron Bull, offers this information free of charge. If you'd like to see what the Bull's Chargers can do for the Inquisition, meet us there and watch us work."

Quick and simple, to the point. If she or her superiors had any questions, he could answer them, yes; everything was finally looking up-

"I have a question."

He blinked, "Yes?"

"How long have you been standing out here?"

That was not the question he expected, but he answered anyway.

"Near about three hours."

The girl pursed her lips for a moment, thinking, and then suddenly, to his surprise, grabbed his armored hand.

"You are coming with me. I have more questions and I bet you would rather be warm. It's freezing out here!"

He had to agree, his legs felt rather stiff under his armor. Krem let her lead him along, behind and around a building to another part of Haven.

She opened the door to the small wooden cottage and nodded to the man inside who was crushing some herbs with a pestle.

"Where is the kettle?" She asked the man, he pointed to a pile of pots and pans next to a small stove.

She let go of Krem's hand and said, "Close the door, please."

Krem moved inside further and closed the apothecary's door to keep the warmth coming from the stove indoors. He moved over closer to the stove, grateful for its warmth.

The girl hummed as she flitted around, pouring water into the kettle, putting it on the stove and fishing an obscure tea canister out of a box.

"Can you get that tin of dried blood lotus from that shelf up there to the right for me?" The apothecary called, now mincing some deep mushrooms.

The girl paused and looked up, a frown creasing her brow momentarily then she reached under a table to grab a stepping stool.

Krem watched her tie her long hair back with some stray string and moved out of the way when she brought the stool over. Even with the added height she couldn't reach it.

He noted her slightly pointed ears, no longer covered by her hair. Half-Elf, probably. Explained the height.

He moved closer to the wall and rising on his toes slightly, snagged the box off of the tall shelf and placed it in her hands.

A brief flicker of something like anger crossed her face and then as soon as it came was suddenly gone.

Krem had dealt with Rocky and his height complex more times than he could count, so he was used to that dirty look.

"Thank you." She said simply, nodding, and going to the apothecary to give him the box of dried blood lotus.

After a period of silence, heating water, and thawing his stiff legs, the girl grabbed two mugs from a small cabinet and spooned a bit of tea into each mug and filled the mugs with hot water.

She turned to Krem with a smile, "Here," she said, placing the warm mug in his hands.

In the time it had took to boil the water, he had already stripped the sweaty armored gloves from his hands and arms, so his fingers felt a little less frozen from the warmth of the mug.

"Let's go up to the roof!"

He followed her out of the one-roomed building and to a ladder out back that lead to the roof, and they both somehow managed to not completely spill the hot tea, though the girl did slosh half her mug's contents on the left half of the roof.

Despite the light dusting of snow, the roof was fairly dry and not all too unpleasant to sit on while dangling their legs over the edge. Krem watched the steam from the tea curl around her face in the wintery air.

"Now, let's hear about your company commander."

Krem raised an eyebrow, "Iron Bull? He's one of those Qunari, the big guys with the horns?"

She nodded thoughtfully, giving no other reaction, and sipped her tea.

Most people would either take the fact that a Qunari lead the company as a joke or a nuisance, but she gave no indication of a problem, so he continued.

"He leads from the front, he pays well, and he's a lot smarter than the last bastard I worked for. Best of all, he's professional. We accept contracts with whoever makes the first real offer. You're the first time he's gone out of his way to pick a side."

The girl looked up from her tea and at him, "He sounds like a good man."

"He is."

Krem felt this beyond any doubt. That big bastard may joke around with him and the men, but he truly did care. It was refreshing to have someone take the Qunari factor in stride.

"And your company, are they good?"

He nodded, "We're loyal, we're good, and we don't break contracts."

He grinned and took a sip from the mug, "Ask around in Val Royeaux, we've got references."

"You sound very proud of that fact, Lieutenant." The girl laughed,

"I am." Krem enthused, "We all worked hard to prove we're worth it."

"As I am sure you are." The girl put down her mug in the drain pipe and held out her hand, "My name is Adalyn."

He took her hand in his and shook it, and noticed that her right hand was bare while her left still wore a glove.

"If you don't mind me asking, Adalyn, how did you join the Inquisition?" Krem asked.

She tilted her head back to look at the Breach in the sky.

"Awful luck."

"You aren't an agent by choice?"

"Do the best things in life come to us by choice?" She asked turning her head to look at him.

Krem remembered how the meeting with Iron Bull felt like fate; it had been an accident, but not one he would change.

"I suppose not."

They sat in contented silence, Krem finishing his tea and Adalyn looking up at the sky, until Krem broke the quiet with a question.

"Who will you be passing my message along to? I want to be able to give the chief a name."

"Oh, I will take it to the war table myself."

"You can do that?" Krem asked in bewilderment, "The Chantry mothers scoffed at me whenever I put my foot inside the Chantry."

Adalyn giggled, wiping her slightly runny nose on her glove, "Really?"

"Yeah," Krem put his hands down on either side of him, "They would have chased me out with a broom, though they would have had to dig one out of the storage to do that, so I guess they didn't bother."

She was laughing, Krem cracked a smile, and then she snorted and her nose began running worse.

"Oh," Krem dug around in his satchel for a handkerchief and held it out; she gave him a dubious look while pinching her nose shut, "Go ahead." He prompted.

She took the kerchief and blew her nose in it, then crumpled it into a ball and held it in her fist.

"How long are you staying?"

"Just today."

She frowned down at the kerchief in her fist.

"Got to get back to the Storm Coast." He added quickly.

"Then I will wash this out tonight and give it to you tomorrow."

"I leave before nightfall."

"Then when-"

"Bring it with you to the Coast."

It took a moment for her to process, but when she did her eyes went wide.

"You sneaky Bastard!" She huffed, a look of mock outrage on her face.

He laughed, "You're a scout, right? Ask them to send you."

She seemed to sober a little and shook her head, "I am no scout."

"Then-"

"I'm… this."

She removed her glove and green light flickered into view, a mark that was a miniature reflection of the Breach in the sky was situated in the center of her palm.

He had heard the rumors. They all had. The Herald of Andraste, delivered from the Fade itself in the loving arms of the Holy Andraste.

 _Shit._

"Your Worship! I—Uh," He scrambled for words; they weren't being very useful at the moment.

"No, no, please it's fine. To be fair, the stories do make me seem more tall and heroic." She placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest.

He gave a laugh and she smiled again. He felt relieved that she wasn't offended.

He had not expected the Herald to ever take the time to talk to him. _Or to be so pretty._

She—The Herald, scoffed at him teasingly.

"Do you still need this excuse to see the _'Herald of Andraste'_?" She asked, waving the snotty kerchief like a flag.

He smiled and leaned closer to her slightly, "No, but I would like an excuse to see you again."

Her grin disappeared in an instant and was replaced by a stunned expression, her dark eyes wide, and the kerchief limp in her upraised hand.

A second later the embarrassment caught up with him and he cleared his throat and leaned back again.

"That is, if you, Your Worship…" He trailed off.

He watched a smile bloom slowly across her face; he found it hard to swallow for a moment.

"Will I be seeing Your Worship at the Coast?"

She gave a nod, "I'll see you there."


	2. A Leap of Faith

She dreaded going to sleep beyond anything else.

She hated floating down into the dream-like world of the Fade and into _that thing's_ arms.

"What is wrong, dear heart?" It purred its arms firm around her.

"Get off me."

"I think not."

The demon appeared to her now as a handsome young man with black eyes, but it had not always appeared that way. It first approached her as a young boy, the playmate she had longed so dearly for as a child.

The demon was clever; it had aged with her, and now appeared as a nineteen year old, attempting to prey on her insecurities and desires.

She couldn't get rid of the demon, not since she accepted the contract to become everything that she had once abhorred; a blood mage. It had been an act of fury and desperation four years back when she lay on a cold pallet in the dungeon of Kirkwall's Circle and a decision that had shaped her life for good or for ill.

"I will not ask you again," He said. Its voice was as threatening as a wolf's snarl but as soft as a purr.

"What is wrong?" Its finger tilted her chin upwards, so she could stare into its empty eyes.

She sighed and turned her face away, "I am merely afraid."

"Oh?" It raised its eyebrow, "Afraid of what, might I ask?"

"What they—Cassandra, Cullen, Josephine, Lilliana, the rest of the Inquisition, will feel when they find out I am a blood mage and-"

It held an index finger to her lips, cutting her off,

"If."

"But-"

"They may never find out. Just let me help you more, just like you did at your almost-harrowing."

"No," she recoiled from his touch and crossed her arms in defense.

"It would be child's play to play them just like you did those Templars. Shed a few pretty tears and snap-" It snapped its fingers, "No need for you to stay in the Circle or attempt a harrowing, because…"

He leaned closer with a predatory smile, "You, after all, are not a mage."

"I – I feel bad for not telling them the truth."

"What is worth more; your feelings or your life?" It asked its voice fierce.

"I'm betraying the faith they have in me."

"You mean in the 'Herald of Andraste'." It hissed bitterly.

"Yes, that too." She conceded. "The people here need me for something. I finally feel like I am living for the first time in years."

"You were living before."

"Surviving." She snapped back then sighed softly, "And it's not the same thing."

She turned away, "At least, not to me." She muttered to herself.

"What is it that you want, then? What luxuries could we get for you using our power to make your life less of a hardship?" He asked

"It isn't luxuries that I want. It's just-" She licked her lips and hesitated before speaking, "I _need_ people to need me, as selfish as that sounds."

It narrowed his eyes then its expression softened in an almost human-like manner.

"I know. That is why you make such easy prey for demons like me." It smirked,

"So self-absorbed. Needing people to worship you to feel alive. How base." It mocked.

"Yet I will feed these desires of yours. Because you know, there will come a point in time when these people realize you are not all that the stories say you are. You will never be perfect.

They will begin to doubt, and when they do, all of this Inquisition business will be over. But it doesn't have to end; use me. Together we can make them love you forever."

Her lips twitched, she was on the verge of denying everything, but it just put another finger in the air to quiet her.

"And before you say that you can walk away from this, you know you won't." it said, its smile wicked.

"We agreed I wouldn't turn your powers on anyone, especially without them knowing." She admonished.

"You will give in, sooner or later." It said laughingly as the Fade around her vision cracked with green began to disappear into darkness.

…

Adalyn woke up sweating and breathing heavy.

She reached for the mug of water she kept on the stool beside her bed in the small house and dumped it on her face.

Sputtering and shocked by the rush of cold to the face, she felt more awake and calm.

She reluctantly left the warm bed to fetch her clothes for the day. Leather pants, long-sleeved shirt, underwear, and the itchy woolen socks.

She wrinkled her nose at the socks then scrubbed at her wet face with the cloth of her shirt before pulling it over her head. She then pulled on the rest of her clothes including the socks along with a pair of boots and a ragged scarf.

She had an idea of what she was going to do today. Test the waters; see what Solas, Varric, and Cassandra thought of blood magic and think further on how to approach them with the truth.

She went to Varric first. Out of all the people who accompanied her to the Hinterlands, he had grown the closest to her. He had been sympathetic and patient with her in the past, and it seemed he had a history with mages.

Adalyn found the Dwarf in question by a campfire in front of the stairs to the Chantry. He was cooking breakfast over the fire; the smell of sausage made her stomach growl and a little bit of drool escapes her mouth.

He sees her where she has stopped dead and gives her a warm grin, "Need some breakfast?"

She nodded thankfully and took a rasher of sausage along with a piece of rye bread that Varric cut and sat down on a bench by the fire to eat.

Varric served himself the same and sat down next to her, digging in. For a good minute there were only the sounds of their chewing, soldiers sparring, the wind, and the chant of light.

When the last of the sausages were gone and the bread had been picked down to the crust, Adalyn cut the silence rather abruptly.

"Varric, have you known many blood mages?"

Varric inhaled a piece of bread rather too quickly and sat there coughing it down as Adalyn panics and pounded his back, reaching for the tankard of watery ale.

He chugged the contents and heaved a huge breath of air, then sat on the bench recuperating for a minute before turning to her.

"Why do you ask?"

Adalyn shrugged, attempting to appear casual.

"I'm just curious as to what you think of their power and who they are as people."

Varric seemed pensive than nodded,

"I knew one; Daisy."

"Oh, what were they like?"

"Daisy? She was a downright catastrophe with directions. She could get lost in a barrel."

Adalyn felt a little spark of hope from hearing Varric speak almost fondly.

"But," He sighed, his expression darkening.

Adalyn felt her heart drop at the anticipated blow.

"No matter how damned innocent the mage, blood magic makes everything go to shit. Take it from me. Daisy? She got some people killed. It wasn't… entirely her fault, but at the end of the day someone has to take responsibility."

"So, the blood mage can be a good person, try to do the right things, but the blood magic itself twists those good intentions bad?" Adalyn

Varric "If you want to break it down, sure, but it isn't always that. People like you and me live and make mistakes, so do they."

 _People like you and me._

It hurt to hear him say that.

"Actually, Varric, I…" She hesitated, fear washing over her. She felt faint.

"I have to go." She stood and put the plate down on the bench and gave him a thin smile. "Thanks for the food."

She left, heading towards the apothecary, careful to keep her breaths full and steady.

When she became light-headed it usually meant that soon after the feeling of invisible needles would press into her skin from the inside and intense voices of demons would grow louder in her mind. This had happened to her for forever, but only being a blood mage made it worse.

She finally made it to the apothecary and collapsed onto a small cot the healer kept in the corner.

He didn't even turn to look at her, he kept his eyes on his mixing and said, gruff but not unkind,

"Feeling poorly, are you? Just rest here. No one will bother you."

She smiled to herself as tears leaked from her eyes, curled on her side in the cot and pulled the thin sheet over herself and rested like that for a little while until the pain and voices receded.

She unsteadily got to her feet and a mug was placed in her hands. The apothecary gave her a rare smile and went back to work.

She sipped at the sweet concoction and tasted pear and dawn lotus; she smiled knowing that the mage had put that in there because she liked flavored white tea, and this is the closest he could do.

She put the empty mug down in the wash bucket and stood on her tiptoes to give the apothecary a kiss on the cheek in thanks.

"Yeah, yeah. Now leave before I get too attached to you or I might cry when that arm of yours falls off." He grumbled, turning away from her and shelving boxes of new supplies.

Adalyn laughed and opened the door to leave,

"Don't worry about that! I'm sure my arm will fall off long after you are gone!"

She walked out the door and saw Solas painting what looked like the outline of a howling wolf on the side of a house.

He had his sleeves rolled up despite the winter chill and was concentrating on mixing the red pigment into the paste, he looked focused and Adalyn didn't want to disturb him. She tried sneaking past, but he caught sight of her and smiled,

"Did you need me for something?"

"I didn't say anything,"

"You have that look about you."

"Oh," She twisted her hands anxiously and chewed on her lip then gathered her mental resolve.

"What do you think of blood magic?"

Solas stood, placing his paint bowl on the ground along with his brushes and wiping his hands off on his pants.

"I see it no different than any other magic practiced by mages here."

"It isn't?"

"No. Magic is but a tool. Blood magic is just the same as casting fire or conjuring blades. It is entirely dependant on the person who wields said magic."

Blood magic is just a tool. A tool that may turn on the user, but a tool none the less.

Adalyn felt resolute for the first time in a while. (Which usually means that she is about to mindlessly do or say something with utter confidence)

"Thanks, Solas."

"Is that all you wished to know?"

"Yes. See you later!"

Confidence urging her on, she jogged to the chantry and knocked on Josephine's door.

The diplomat looked up and smiled politely, "It is a pleasure to see you, Herald."

"The same to you, Ambassador Josephine," She said, entering the room and giving a small bow.

"Now, if I might impose on your time… I have something I wish to discuss with the leaders of the Inquisition and more specifically, you."

"Shall I have them come down to the War Room as soon as possible?"

 _Ah, Josephine; astute as always._

"Please."

Josephine gave a complimentary smile and said, "If you would be so kind as to precede us into the War Room?"

"Of course, see you momentarily."

Josephine gathered her clipboard and papers and left the room to gather Cullen, Cassandra, and Lilliana.

When she was gone from the room, Adalyn walked to the War Room and closed the door behind her.

 _Hey, hey, what are you trying to pull, Dear Heart?_

He sounded panicked. She needed him calm for this to work.

 _Relax_ ,

She thought,

 _I've got this under control. This is about winning their trust._

He sighed despairingly amid her thoughts and angrily snapped,

 _I don't think you understand. No one will ever trust a blood mage, let alone love them!_

That last part stung, but she gritted her teeth and continued.

 _I'm not here for them to worship the ground I walk on. If I can get them to see that I mean well, maybe…_

' _Maybe' WHAT?! They will kill you, Addie. Or at the very best keep you at sword point until you get shipped to Val Royeaux and hanged like a dog! Be reasonable, Addie…_

The door banged open, announcing Cassandra's entrance.

Adalyn jolted in momentary panic and settled down, but with her heart still racing.

Cullen and Lilliana followed by Josephine took their places around the War Table and came to a stop looking at Adalyn expectantly.

"There is something you wanted to tell us." Cassandra stated.

Adalyn drew a breath and summoned as much bravery as she could muster.

"I-I…" She looked quickly across the faces in the room and thought that this might be the last time any one them look at her with civility.

 _See? You can't do it. Just—_

"I am an apostate; a blood mage."

Cassandra sputtered.

Josephine's jaw dropped almost as far as her clipboard.

Cullen drew back a step, panic in his eyes.

Lilliana narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

Adalyn put her hands up defensively and began, "Look-"

"I have not seen you use magic." Cassandra interjected.

"Why would I lie about being an apostate?" Adalyn countered.

Josephine seemed to have gathered her wits and grace, she joined the conversation,

"True, there are not many advantages to claiming apostasy."

"Why tell us if you could keep it hidden?" Lilliana questioned, giving a quick upwards nod, "What is your motive?"

"Can she even be trusted to answer that?" Cullen asked, almost in outrage, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.

"Blood mage or no, the Maker sent her to us for a reason. And I will not claim to know that reason."

Cassandra glanced at Adalyn and continued,

"She is not the only such apostate who has willingly come to aid us in sealing the Breach. We would do just as well to suspect Solas of treachery."

"Cassandra is right. However, blood magic is a dangerous thing, and must not be used." Lilliana qualified.

"If I had a choice, I wouldn't be one now." Adalyn admitted.

"And what have you done insofar?" Lilliana asked, "And if not in Cassandra's line of sight, how about in the past? How long have you been this way, outside of the Order?"

"I… can leash minor life forms to my conscious and see through their eyes, command them, and other things. I can hypnotize people, and I have used this…" She glanced at Cullen, "On a few Templars to avoid scrutiny. And I can aid healers by controlling the flow of internal bleeding."

"What about fully controlling people? Using blood as a weapon?" Cassandra asked.

Adalyn shook her head, "I have no idea how to do any of that."

Cassandra seemed confused, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, "Well, why not?"

"I didn't want to learn that, nor was I ever given any reason to. I can control animals because I practiced on my heard to keep them under control without a mabari."

"You used blood magic as a replacement for a sheepdog?" Lilliana asked, sounding incredulous.

"Yes."

Cullen huffed and threw his hands up in the air,

"Ridiculous!"

"Hey, I had to eat! I had a life and several different occupations before the Inquisition."

"I agree, Cullen." Cassandra concurred, "It seems a ridiculous notion that an apostate, and even a blood mage, would use their magic for nothing harmful." She turned her gaze on Adalyn and she saw the Seeker's eyes momentarily soften.

"And yet I will stand by her."

Adalyn felt hot tears well up behind her vision,

"Awwgh, Cassandra!" She exclaimed weepily, wiping the copious wetness from her eyes and reaching in her pocket for the kerchief that Krem lent her to blow her nose in.

 _I really need to wash this._

She blew her nose anyway.

Cassandra gave her a awkward pat on the shoulder and the attention in the room turned to Josephine, who had already begun writing something or other on her papers.

"There _is_ however the issue of various noble houses and the Chantry discovering this matter."

"I want to be honest with them." Adalyn said, turning to face Josephine.

"And risk the wrath of the few Clerics who support the Inquisition?" Cullen interjected.

Adalyn had established good relationships with all the clerics that Mother Giselle bought to Haven, a hard won triumph that had more to do with Josephine's good nature than Adalyn herself.

"If you mean Mother Giselle and the other mothers and sisters and brothers she has gathered. I feel like they won't run away if I tell them the truth. They are good people." Adalyn debated.

"And our chances getting the Templars to align with us were slim to none to begin with; this will hurt nothing on that front." Lilliana added. "We should approach the mages instead for help on the platform that our Herald is, like them, a mage."

"Again with this…?" Cullen grumbled then turned to look Adalyn up and down, "If you are what you say you are, I expect even better behavior from you than any of the other Inquisition mages. Set a good example for them."

"Yes, Ser." Adalyn stood up straight and dared a mock-salute and a quick smile, which earned a very tired sigh from Cullen and a morose shake of his head.

Lilliana "I agree, you are the Herald, you should set an example." She turned to Josephine, "It is good if she stands on the platform of honesty. She found it right to tell us and the Inquisition, as well as our allies.

This is an opportunity. Our enemies cannot use this against us as blackmail; it will force them out into the open."

Josephine slowly nodded and then quickly added a flourish on the papers she carried, unclipping them from the board and placing the sheet down on the War Table.

The words read:

 _A formal declaration of the Inquisition: The Herald of Andraste_

 _The Inquisition agent responsible for the temporary healing of the Breach and the ender of the Mage-Templar rebellion in the Hinterlands, known as 'The Herald of Andraste' by the people of Thedas makes no claim to know as to whether Andraste saved her from the Fade or has been chosen by the Maker. She does, however, believe in the peace and security of a united Thedas and stands to fight against the Breach despite her apostate background. The Herald of Andraste will do everything in her power to bring order to the chaos, including coming clean to practicing blood magic that has so far, not, been harmful to the Inquisition or its allies._

 _Ambassador Montilyet_

"This is perfect, Ambassador. Thank you." Adalyn gave her a heartfelt smile.

 _I told you it would turn out alright._

She thought.

 _Hmph._

The demon harrumphed.

As relief and giddiness overwhelmed her mind, she looked down at her hand holding the crumbled kerchief.

She looked up and raised her hand,

"Also, there is one other matter…"

* * *

 **Hello there! Snow Tempest at your service!**

 **This is a story where I let you [the readers] choose what Adalyn does as Herald / Inquisitor.**

 **Want to side with the Templars? Sure.**

 **How about the Mages? Fine.**

 **Just let me know in the reviews what you think about the next turning point decision, and it will be done!**

 **(constructive criticism is very welcome)**

 **Thank you, thank you!**

 **S.T.**


	3. Waves on the Coast

The Second time they met was on the Storm Coast.

Krem was in the middle of the skirmish, mid-fight adrenaline pumping through his veins, when throwing knife whistled past him and nailed the Tevinter mercenary he was struggling with in the throat.

The knife embedded in the man's neck killed him and that left Krem to turn and face the newcomer, because he knew that his own Skirmishers were not supposed to be behind him.

But it wasn't an enemy rogue with terrible aim, however, but a tumbling Herald of Andraste, slipping on the wet pebbles speckling the shoreline and struggling to retain her balance.

A loud, angry cry came from behind him as another enemy rushed to attack him from behind.

He spun around on his heels and hefted the maul and prepared to catch the sword on the haft.

The second Tevinter mercenary's sword clanged against the haft and they were locked in a struggle of strength, neither man giving any ground. Krem dug his feet in the ground, and the other man pressed down harder.

Quick as air, something snaked in front of him and a long thin dagger found its way through the mercenary's left third and fourth ribs, piercing his heart and killing him as well.

As he fell to the ground limp, the Herald stood up from her crouch in front of Krem.

His mind took as second to process the movements she had preformed.

She had slipped between and below him and the other mercenary and had knifed the man dead with a single strike.

She was damned good with knives.

He watched her yank the throwing knife from the dead Tevinter's throat and call out, "Behind you!"

He turned around once again to confront another enemy and felt in a moment her presence behind him, facing the other way,

"I've got your back!"

…

When the last man hit the ground with a dull thud and the skidding of pebbles, Krem rested his maul against a boulder and pulled off his helmet.

"Chargers! Stand down!" The Iron Bull ordered and the other Chargers sheathed their weapons and relaxed.

Krem looked up from the dented breastplate of another crushed enemy and did a quick scan of the Chargers, some of whom were wounded or resting on the ground.

"Krem! How'd we do?"

The Qunari strode towards him and Krem straightened up to stand at attention.

"Five or six wounded, Chief. No dead."

The Chief grinned "That's what I like to hear. Let the throat-cutters finish up, then break out the casks."

Krem nodded and moved to where Skinner and her people were to check on them.

When he arrived, Skinner seemed to have everything under control, if by 'under control' you mean sticking a knife through someone's face.

"Chief says that we can have a drink after finishing up."

Skinner stood up from the corpse and wiped blood off her knife blade with some ragged cloth.

"You cannot rush this."

"Right." Krem said, crossing his arms.

Skinner replied with a noise of disgust and signaled for her people to finish quickly and load the corpses into a small boat.

"What were you planning on doing to them?" Krem asked, nodding at the pile of dead bodies.

Rocky came up behind him and answered for Skinner, "Gonna blow it sky high."

Krem turned a disapproving look at Rocky, and the dwarf grumbled and backed down,

"Then we'll just burn it. With a little _other_ something I've been working on." And he trudged off to fetch whatever dangerous invention it happened to be from his pack.

Krem didn't like the sound of that, but it was probably better than whatever version of Qunari black powder Rocky came up with this time.

Krem headed back over to The Iron Bull to report on the throat-cutter's status. The big lug was sitting down on a wet rock, facing The Herald of Andraste.

When he approached, Bull motioned towards him,

"I assume you remember Cremisius Aclassi, my Lieutenant."

"Of course!" She exclaimed, she turned to smile warmly at him, "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise." He nodded and smiled in return (maybe a little too cheekily), then turned to Bull, straight-faced again, "The throat-cutters are done, Chief."

"Already? Have them check again. I don't want any of those Tevinter bastards getting away. No offence, Krem." The chief laughed darkly.

"None taken, 'least a bastard knows who his mother was. Put him one up on you Qunari, right." He snarked as he walked back to the Chargers, smirking all the way.

When he was a little ways away he threw a glance over his shoulder at the Chief and the Herald of Andraste.

The rain had soaked into Adalyn's hair and turned the copper color to a medium brown hanging in a damp tangle down her back. She was talking to Bull while smiling politely and laughing occasionally.

Krem was glad to see her again and hoped that she and the Chief could work out something about the Inquisition.

He turned his head to look back at the Chargers, where Stitches was patching up a few of the men and a row boat piled with corpses was in the water and ablaze.

"If only I could keep these bandages dry!" Stitches grumbled and pulled a tarp to cover the crates of healing supplies.

"Problem, Stitches?" Krem asked coming over to him and the wounded company members.

Stitches stood up and placed his hand on his hips and shot a glare down the coast at The Iron Bull.

"If the Chief didn't take some of my poultices as shots just for kicks and if it would stop raining on my supplies, I'd be better." He said exasperation evident.

Krem cracked a smile and called to the unwounded Chargers waiting around.

"Pitch a tent over the crates, keep what we can dry."

The other Chargers helped him re-pitch some of their tents over the healing supplies and travel packs, leaving the casks out in the rain.

Krem checked on the wounded and once reassuring himself that they were all fine and in shape to walk and drink before rounding up the Chargers and the casks.

"Drink up, Chargers! Chief says we earned it!"

A rowdy cheer rose for the men and one of the front-line fighters, Roger, charged forward and heaved a heavy axe into the barrel's side.

Classic Roger.

Tankards were passed around, full to the brim with partly foamy ale, collected from the spillage that came from the gash wound of the cask that Roger had wrecked.

Krem held a tankard in his hand and sipped slowly, watching the Charger's laughter grow in volume and the rosy tint of tipsiness spread on their cheeks.

He never allowed himself to get drunk.

 _Ever._

Even in trusted company like the Chargers or Bull, the uneasiness was still there underneath all his armor. That low burning fear inside him that even during the six years with this company hadn't been extinguished.

If he lost his senses, who know what might happen to him? What people might think of him?

So he kept to himself, drinking carefully and quietly at the edge of the group until it occurred to him that the Chief might want to know about the drink situation.

He handed his tankard to a skirmisher named Sarah and headed down the coast to where the Herald and the Chief were talking.

When he approached, Krem knew Bull saw him, even though his eye stayed on the Herald.

"Krem, tell the men to finish drinking on the road. The Chargers just got hired!" The Iron Bull called out at Krem.

The Herald turned to look at him, a bright grin on her face and a hand waving in greeting.

"What about the casks, Chief? We just opened them up."

He thought of Roger.

"With _axes_."

That earned a peal of surprised laughter from the Herald. Krem silently commended himself.

"Find some way to seal them. You're Tevinter, right? Try blood magic."

At the end of the jest, Iron Bull winked (Krem had been in Iron Bull's company long enough to tell a one-eyed wink from a blink) at the Herald, who shot him a friendly smile.

He and the Herald watched Iron Bull go off to find the alcohol before she went over to him.

"Your word is as good as they come; the Chargers seem like an excellent company." She said.

"Yes. And you did good on your word. You came." He replied.

She came in person and that made him proud that she deemed his company excellent, she even fought with him.

"Here,"

He looked down at her, and found his kerchief (now clean) being pressed into his armored hand.

"I washed it. Twice, actually." She said, quickly moving he hands away from his and holding them behind her back.

He raised the kerchief to look at it and in the process caught the faint smell of lavender coming from it. He tucked it away in his belt satchel for safe keeping.

"Thank you." He said with a smile.

This prompted a surprised look from her, then a slight blush and smile. She quickly looked down at the ground.

"You are very welcome." She mumbled quietly, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks.

His heart made a painful lurch.

 _How is she this charming?_

She cleared her throat and looked back up, "Now, what's this about casks? Maybe I can help."

He blinked and said quickly, "Don't think anyone can do much about it, but sure, if you'd like to try."

Hey walked over to the Chargers and found that a second cask had been axed and The Iron Bull was downing leftover mugs of ale while the Chargers were chanting, "Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!, and cheering.

Krem rolled his eyes in loving frustration and heard Adalyn snort-giggling beside him.

She, being small, could weave and duck her way through the Chargers to the casks while he had to part the crowd to walk through.

He watched as she placed a hand on the beginning of the crack and slowly smoothed her hand across the surface. The wood seemed to come alive and pull itself back together, the splinters peeling back into place and the edges smoothing until the second, still mostly full, cask was back in original condition.

Krem came up to stand beside her and checked her work, impressed.

"Magic?" He asked, tracing the place where the crack used to be.

She nodded, "Old seaman trick." She motioned to the sea and grinned, "I lived on a pirate ship a while back and they had me straightening water-warped planks day and night and air-drying the sails. They taught me to use regular, useful magic, even though I was—am- a blood mage."

Krem's mind balked for a good few seconds.

 _Blood mage. She said, 'blood mage'. Her?_

She seemed too steady-minded for one.

In Tevinter, he knew what happened behind closed doors in the Magisterium and she did not fit the bill of a cruel slave-bleeder or a crazed apostate.

"They knew you were an apostate?" He asked, hoping for her to maybe fill in the gaps.

She shrugged, seeming unconcerned at the word apostate, "They were Revaini pirates. In Rivain, mages are just people."

 _Shit. I sounded like an ass._

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean—we have mages among the Charg-" He rambled,

She waves a dismissive hand and smiled tightly, "No, no, it's fine."

"Did… you also learn how to fight with knives from them?" Krem asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"Yes," She took one of her sheathed knives from her belt and held it up, "This was a gift from the Captain when I joined on."

It was silver and had inlayed gold along the blade in the shape of leaves, it was a pretty thing but functional. It was maintained to be deadly, the edge was incredibly sharp, Krem noted.

She took good care of her blades, a habit he wished the rest of the Chargers would adopt.

She sheathed the knife and pulled a cord out from under her armor. It was fashioned as a necklace, and had a single piece of coral fashioned into a whistle fastened to it.

"This is a piece of coral I bought with my first payment as a pirate. A crewmate taught me how to carve it into a whistle. It is really important to me." She seemed to be glowing with pride, talking about her history and the things she had acquired.

Krem felt similar about his armor, Bull had bought him this set of armor six years ago, of course some pieces had been replaced, but it was more or less the same.

"I know how you feel." Krem motioned to his armor, "This armor is the first thing Bull gave me when I joined this Company."

She nodded, "You bought that in Kirkwall, didn't you?"

"Ah, yes. You saw the seal on the back."

"You were in Kirkwall?" She asked, sounding surprised but not unpleasantly so.

"Six years ago." He thought back to when he and Iron Bull went south through the Free Marches to Kirkwall from the Tevinter border.

She seemed to be counting numbers silently then said, "Hmm, I was there too at the time."

"Maybe we met." He suggested playfully

"No," She said smoothly, and looked up to lock eyes with him.

"I would have remembered if we had."

The feeling of electricity charging the air made the hair on his arms stood on end.

He smelled ozone, and for a second he though he must have not heard the roll of thunder before a nearby lighting strike, but there was no lighting.

There was only her; with her loose copper curls drying in the sea spray wind and her dark inviting eyes tined on his.

The rain had eased; the Chargers were done drinking and were packing up the camp. A call from one of the Chargers roused him from his trance.

He looked up and away, anywhere but her, and said

"I guess I will see you back at Haven."

He saw her straighten her posture at his voice, seeming to snap out of the lull as well.

 _It isn't just me._

He thought elatedly, his head a little giddy.

He turned a brief look to her; it was all he could dare.

"Your Worship,"

He said with a nod, and walked off to find his things and pack for the journey to Haven.

* * *

 **Decide now:**

 **TEMPLARS or MAGES**

 **(See you in the reviews)**


	4. Recovering Family

' _Your Worship'_

His voice echoed in her mind. A listless blush settled in her cheeks until she snapped out of the daydream by force of will.

 _How dare he?!_

She grabbed another fistful of snow and packed it into a hard ball before throwing it at a wall and watching it explode into white powder.

 _Somebody is besotted with a mercenary!_

Dazai, the desire demon in her head, sang teasingly, causing Adalyn to furrow her brow.

"Hey now, Herald!" A cheerful voice called from behind her.

 _Sera._

And indeed, it was.

She was preciously balanced on the roof of the tavern hands on her hips and a smirk on her lips.

Adalyn liked Sara, and found her personality to be very unique yet very similar to her pirate friends.

"You know what those are?" Sera asked rhetorically, pointing to a small pile of snowballs that Adalyn had made. Sera didn't stop for Adalyn to say anything,

"They are for fun. And _you_ are ruining it." Sera picked one of the snowballs and smashed it in Adalyn's face.

Adalyn felt slushy cold water dripping down her forehead and nose, and she grinned into the feeling of her nose going numb.

"So in your face, it's on." Sera crowed, snatching more of them and making a getaway.

"Have at you!" Adalyn shouted and made two more chasing after Sera.

They ran around the Tavern a couple times, dodging and throwing, and laughing when one hit some random bystander.

By the time they had worn themselves out and could not longer feel their faces or hands, they had crashed through the door to the Tavern collapsed at a table that Varric was already settled at.

Varric was scribbling at some reports spread out over the table and had a pair of reading glasses pushed up the bridge of his nose.

"Bartender!" Adalyn called,

The woman looked up eagerly and dropped the cleaning cloth she held.

Adalyn grinned at her, "Can I get something that's warm with rum in it?"

"Make that two!" Sera called from her face plant on the table.

The bartender bobbed her head; "I can do that!" she set to work concocting the order and Adalyn relaxed.

She thought of her friends aboard _The Demon's Gale,_ or, what was left of them.

The Captain Red, The kind Tal-Vashoth quartermaster, the grumpy cook, and the rest of the crew… and Talmar. Her first real friend.

She felt the inside of her mouth taste like the bitter and salty combination of bile and the sea.

Templars had found them playing around the Fereldan coastline outside the coastal city of Gwaren.

They were playing with magic, making waves in the water and laughing, not harming anyone.

The Templars had come up behind them and grabbed their arms, pulling them away

She had screamed and struggled. She feared them. She didn't want to go back to the Circle.

Talmar had bit down on his lip hard and used the blood to kill the Templar holding her.

She remembered seeing the blood, how it went in one ear and out the other, and the Templar's eyes rolled back white in his head and there was a dull thud as he hit the ground.

She remembers Talmar screaming for her to run. That he wouldn't let them take her back.

She was a fool to let her feet carry her away, because when she came back he was dead; hung from his neck by a rope tried to a tree branch, the Templar responsible nowhere in sight.

In her mind, it was murder.

Ever since then she found it very hard to trust Templars, even though the ones she knew in Rivian were always respectful of her in the past.

 _Do you wish to check in on them?_

Dazai asked in her mind.

She nodded slightly and closed her eyes; his power let her sight ascend out of her body and into the sky, sailing across countries in instants. It took them little time to find _The Demon's Gale_ floating off the coast of Antiva in fair weather. Their gaze zoomed in on the deck; she watched all of the crew and searched for familiar faces.

The Captain and cabin master stood together on the deck talking while a few cleaning boys scurried across the deck with buckets of water and rope. Adalyn's former teacher, a Rivani seer named Karris, stood on deck looking empty-eyed up to the sky.

Soon after she looked at the old woman, the seer turned her head to face where Adalyn's consciousness floated on the magic current and waved.

Adalyn waved back, and knew that she could sense the motion.

The seer hobbled over to the Captain and motioned for him to duck down to her level to hear her whisper.

The Captain stood back up and waved at the sky in general, he couldn't see her, but the feeling was there. The tattooed and goateed Captain wore another obnoxious hat today with a peacock's plume stuck in it.

Adalyn laughed and sent her thoughts down to Karris,

 _Who does he think he is impressing with that hat?_

The woman chuckled and thought back,

 _He likes to show the sea and sky who is prettier._

Adalyn thought of telling them where she was, but was stopped by Karris.

 _I have been watching you, and we all pray for your success and safety._

 _Did you know I would become the Herald of Andraste?_

Adalyn asked.

Karris was always a more powerful future seer than Adalyn, who was better at seeing far away in the present.

 _No. But when I looked into the future for you long ago I saw a decision. A decision that will shape not only who you are, but also how your new organization will fare in the coming days._

 _What decision?_

 _To forgive those who have done you wrong, to trust what seems like ultimate betrayal, to see light in the darkness… choose the Templars and change the fate of their Order…. Or. Find temptation that even a demon could not offer you, the power to change your past and present by bending time… to choose the mages is to change yourself forever._

Adalyn processed this information in stride and said,

 _Thank you, this has been most helpful._

 _You are welcome to speak with me at any time._

Then Adalyn was gone from the clouds and back in her body sitting in a chair in the Tavern.

Sera was slapping her across the face and cursing up a storm.

"Sera, I'm fine!" Adalyn insisted, scooting away from her before she decided there was a need for _arrows_.

Sera grumbled and backed off, "It's not natural to space out that long. Thought a demon had you."

Adalyn shook her head and smiled, "Nope, just thinking and maybe snoozing a little."

"Well," The bartender said, setting down a piping hot drink on the table, some cream poured on the top of the mugs. "This will wake you up, I think."

Adalyn thanked her and took her mug, blowing on it as she thought.

 _If I choose the Templars, I can change the fate of their Order, but they could betray me. On the other hand, dealing with the Mages seems like it will be life-changing and maybe not in a good way. What did she mean by, 'temptation that even a demon could not offer you'? Any thoughts?_

She asked Dazai, who responded with a very unhelpful,

 _Butt-stuff?_

Adalyn made a noise of disgust and sipped her drink. It was good. She liked rum and coffee. It was very good. The warmth spread to her bones as well and she stretched in contentment.

Sera watched her for a second inquisitively, then huffed and left her with Varric at the table muttering, "Weirdy".

The door to the Tavern opened, and a woman carrying a stringed instrument walked in the place. She had her dark hair tied up in a braided bun and a curved pout of dull coral-colored lips.

Adalyn knew her. She was her cousin, Maryden.

She walked right up to her and snapped her fingers and pointed to her, "I know you."

The woman shook her head, "I have no recollection of…" Her eyes trailed down to Adalyn's left hand and she said, "Ah, the fabled Herald of Andraste. I look forward to singing tales of your exploits across Thedas." She deadpanned in the deadest tone of voice ever.

Yep. She really hadn't changed since Adalyn was a child.

"Won't blame you if you don't remember me, because…" Adalyn smirked and tossed her hair over her shoulder with smugness, "I must have grown in beauty since we last met. I am sure I am near unrecognizable to you now-"

"Ah," The woman said, "You must be my cousin, Adalyn."

"Yeah, it's been a while!"

Maryden's expression went from dead to concerned,

"You were kidnapped ten years ago. What happened?"

Varric stood up from his seat at the table and came over,

"You were kidnapped as a child, Herald? Wow." He said.

"Yeah… about that. That wasn't the best part of my life, but I got to move around a lot!" She said, faking positivity. Internally she was screaming.

Maryden placed her hands on her hips and looked down at her shorter cousin.

"And how did you become the Herald?"

"Uhh…"

"And a blood mage?"

"Ugh. About that… I… Oops?" Adalyn shrugged apologetically.

Varric snickered and quipped, "'Oops, Shit', a tale of the ages, written by the fabled Herald of Andraste."

Maryden sighed, "At least you are alive… all I knew is when our grand-mère cut off contact with your father completely, that you and your mother were taken away somewhere."

"Do you…" Adalyn hesitated, then continued, "Do you know where my father is?"

Maryden's expression darkened and she said quietly, "He was in Fereldan when The Blight struck right before you were taken. He is dead. I am sorry."

Adalyn's heart fell a little. She knew he was dead already because whenever she went to search for him using her vision, she could never find him.

She began to feel a little coldly numb from the slight shock until Varric nudged her side and motioned to the table,

"Why don't we sit down and have you two catch up. The next round is on me."

Adalyn's heart felt warmed by Varric's kindness and took him up on the offor, sitting down at the table and ordering another coffee run drink.

After their drinks arrived, Maryden was the first to speak.

"Your Ambassador, if you wish, can contact our family and perhaps receive an endorsement, maybe even some political attention." She suggested, sipping at her frosty drink.

Adalyn picked a warm drink in a mug with a dollop of whipped cream on the top.

"To tell you the truth, I haven't really thought about contacting any relatives before now." She dipped her finger in the whipped cream on top of the drink and tasted it.

"Is Grand-mère well?" Adalyn wondered if the old woman was still as strict as she remembered.

"She is stubborn, like you, and still playing The Game as shrewdly as ever."

Varric raised an eyebrow, "You're Orlesian?" He asked Adalyn,

"Hmph. Learn something new every day. I could have sworn your accent was Free Marcher."

"I am not Orlesian by birth; my mother was." Adalyn clarified. "My father was a Free Marcher, and I also lived in the Free Marches for a good bit of my teenage life."

Maryden had turned to Adalyn and said as an aside,

"Going back to my earlier suggestion of political ties, you are second in line to inherit the Chastain Duchy upon my disownment."

'Disownment?" Adalyn shook her head, surprised that her well-behaved cousin would be disowned for _anything_.

Maryden smiled softly, "I disowned myself, and now I am here, doing what I love, and for a profit. I am contented being a minstrel."

"You trained to become a bard, after I went away?"

"I grew revolted by the politics of it all, and left to seek my own profit. I despise politics; this is why I left the inheritance to you."

"Just to let you know, I happen to be a mage; it isn't as if I could claim such a title." Adalyn commented, taking a sip of her drink and licking off the cream-stache that resulted.

Varric clucked and set down his notes, "Now, now, Chesnutt,"

Adalyn wrinkled her nose at the new nickname. (A play on her Orlisain surname, no doubt.)

"The Champion of Kirkwall claimed the Amell title and manor despite being a mage."

"Hmm. I am not sure I want to be considered for the Duchy, but Josephine will definitely want to know about this."

"Have you told anyone of your aspirations to become a Chevalier?" Maryden smirked and Varric leaned in,

"No; do tell, Minstrel." He said with a grin.

Adalyn settled back in her chair with a huff and took a sip of her drink and watched them begin chatting away.

 _I should go tell Josephine._

She thought, and stood, thanking Varric for the drink and leaving her near-empty mug on the table.

The outside was colder than she remembered it being just an hour earlier, she pulled her coat tighter around her and once again bemoaned the fact two of the buttons on the front had fallen off, creating an opening. She kept the two buttons in her coat pocket, but had never gotten back around to fining someone to help her sew them back on. (She couldn't sew, and anything she tried to embroider looked like the stitches were made by a blindfolded dragon high on lyrium.)

She knocked on Josephine's office door and heard a cheerful, accented, "Please do come on in!"

Adalyn stepped inside her office and approached the desk, smiling politely at Josephine.

"Good Afternoon, Josephine. I have some names you might put to use, if need arises."

Josephine's eyebrows rose expresionatly, "Might it be someone I should put on our guest list?"

"No," Adalyn said, thinking about her sour-faced grandmother setting foot in Haven, "But they are my family."

Josephine gasped, "Your- well! You refused to speak of family before this… Oh! This is exciting! Just let me get my papers." She scrambled to prepare some black pages and her seals and her inks, when she ws done she sat with her quill poised.

Adalyn nodded and begun, "My aunt and uncle Halewell of Orlais own a minor estate and titles, also my Grand-mere, the Duchess Chastain."

With furious scribbling and various 'oh, my's' Josephine finished her report and grinned extaticly.

"Why did you not tell us sooner of your lineage?"

"I…" Adalyn smiled awkwardly, "Have not been in contact with them for a little over a decade."

Josephine held up and hand, "I perfectly understand, and I will pursue no more questions. I will make use of this information, thank you."

"No, thank you, Josephine." Adalyn gave a small bow and smile, taking her leave after saying hello to the mage in the corner.

As she was exiting the Chantry when she heard, "A moment, if you would, my dear." Vivienne's voice rang through the air commandingly.

Adalyn stopped walking and turned to the Circle Mage, "Yes, Madame DeFer?"

Vivienne glided statefully over to her and rested a hand on her shoulder,

"Why did you not tell me from the very beginning my dear?"

"Tell you what?" Adalyn asked, fishing for a reply.

Vivienne smiled, "That you are nobility. That you have relatives who play the Game."

"Oh. Was that important to know?" Adalyn asked nonchalantly, picking up a book on the origins of Andraste and pointlessly inspected the cover.

"It means you have connections, you are not completely socially dead. There is hope for you."

Adalyn frowned, put down the book, and crossed her arms, "I am perfectly fine staying socially dead, thank you very much."

"I can never understand why, my dear. Nor why you became a blood mage." Vivienne said dismissively, waving a hand to her nose in a show of distaste.

Adalyn's annoyance turned to bitterness, "I guess you have never feared the Templars, then."

"Why would, I? It is untrained mages we truly must fear."

Adalyn bit back her most unsavory thoughts but admitted to the truth of what Vivienne said,

"I was not trained until after I became a blood mage, I never got the opportunity."

"My dear, you always had the opportunity; that is what Circles are for." Vivienne crossed to her desk set up in the corner and smoothed out a few letters that were left there.

"No, I didn't. It wasn't easy for me to even reach a Circle. And when I did, they nearly killed me." Adalyn

Vivienne's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Well, then I must say your experience is unusual. Circles and Templars are two things Thedas still desperately needs."

"Untrained mages do suffer. I know that better than anyone." Adalyn muttered, biting down on her long thumbnail and chewing on it pensively.

"What if a more relaxed approach was taken?" Adalyn proposed, crossing to Vivienne.

"Like in Rivain, they have a good magic-teaching tradition. That is where I learned my magic."

Vivienne scoffed and turned aside, "Now I supposed the Dalish will take us all under their wing!"

"And why not?" Adalyn exclaimed, "We could learn from them."

Vivienne pursed her lips. Adalyn could tell she was displeased, but she continued anyway.

"Templars do serve a function, and it is an important one, but there is no need to keep mages in shackles."

Adalyn bowed slightly for politeness' sake and uttered, "Bonsoir, Madame." And took her leave.

She just walked away and out of the Chantry, not quite knowing where she was headed.

As she walked in the sunset-stained snow and breathed in the frigid air she wondered once again about her former teacher's words.

"If I forgive the Templars, I can change their Order, huh?" She wondered quietly to herself out loud.

 _It seems better than the alternative._

Dazai commented, voice hinting at a dark mood.

 _How so?_

She asked. She passed a few soldiers at the gates and waved, they waved back in good cheer.

' _Find temptation that even a demon could not offer you' and 'change yourself forever' were the phrased that seemed like a bad sign. I wouldn't trust anything more powerful than a demon, because at least WE are reasonable._

She snorted in disbelief as she sat down on a crate by Haven's gates, taking a break from her aimless wandering that had lead her here.

 _And… I don't want you to change, Addie. Ever. You are mine, you can't change._

She felt the demon send some of his reach into her body from the fade. She felt It softly half-posses her body in demonstrative warning.

She knew she could shake Dazai off if need be, but she also knew the demon had never been serious about possessing her.

She didn't trust him, even though her mentor told her to treat It as a partner. (She also told Adalyn to stop referring to Dazai as 'It' and start calling It 'him'. Adalyn was afraid she would begin to humanize the demon more if she did and refrained.)

She sat there a moment longer before hearing the sounds of excited talking among the straggling forge workers grow louder.

She raised her eyes to see what the hubbub was about and instantly saw why.

The Chargers, a group of twenty or so armored men and women were tromping casually to Haven, some of them straggling behind the group, tired and complaining of the cold, others just chatting among themselves jovially, and all lead by a huge shirtless Qunari.

"Chargers! Attention!"

She heard his voice but could not see him from where she was sitting, so she stood.

And there he was, skin bathed in the evening light, commanding the Chargers to straighten up and look presentable.

She felt her heart pound and shut her eyes to silence it before meeting the Chargers and welcoming them.

She put on a diplomatic smile and strode towards the Chargers crying out a cheerful greeting to The Iron Bull and his company.

Her smile was only half-fake.

If she has smiling for real, she would have been grinning like a fool.

* * *

 **Seers in Rivain are real and are a big part of the magic there cannonly in the Dragon Age Universe. Go here for more information: wiki/Rivain**

 **And yes, the demon's name is Dazai. And yes, I thought it would be nice to have Adalyn and Maryden related, please don't judge me too much.**

 **I hope you at least sort-of liked this chapter and will continue reading.**


	5. A Pledge of Friendship and a Tavern Song

Krem sat in a chair in the tavern and listened to the Bard sing and play.

The bartender had found him an unopened bottle of cheap Tevinter wine and he had unsealed it, but kept the sealing wax in his closed left fist to stop up the bottle for later.

It tasted bittersweet on his tongue and memory, the red swill disappearing one sip at a time as Krem let himself wonder how his mother was doing.

His mood darkened and his brow visibly furrowed; his grip on the bottle neck tightened momentarily.

He didn't realize the music stopped and the Bard was now standing in front of him.

Krem looked up at her and asked cautiously, "May I help you?"

She smiled a taught smile and said, "I thought maybe I could help you. A song to ease your mind."

Krem nodded, "That would be welcome." He said.

She turned away to stand at the center of the room and began to sing. Focusing on her pleasant voice lulled his mind into more pleasant thoughts.

Like how her lips were a worn coral color and her dark hair was pulled back from her face in a braided bun, and how her dark eyes watched him all the while playing. Her eyes were calming, hypnotic, even.

He… has seen her eyes somewhere before… but…where?

He sat forward in his chair and looked closer at her eyes and realized that the shape and color were incredibly similar to the Herald's.

Krem took another swig of wine and let himself relax into thoughts of the Herald.

Her breathless warmth, the loud snort that punctuated every laughing spell, and how she wasn't afraid to take his hand and walk with him. And despite the fact she was a blood mage, and that they had only met and talked four times, he found himself rather liking her a little too well.

Her laugher tickled his ears in his imagination, he paused to revel on how accurate it sounded when the door busted open and the Herald herself, laughing, came tumbling through the door.

Krem looked on, stunned that his thoughts had seemingly conjured her, frozen to the spot, bottle halfway to his lips.

She clambered off the floor while shaking with laughter and – yep. There was the snort.

The cause of the laughter came through the door right behind her, it was Sera with paint all over her face done up in a mock replica of Bull's vitaar.

Krem allowed a chuckle before finishing his intended sip of wine.

The music stopped and the Bard called out, "This next song is one I have written in honor of my latest muse, Sera."

"Gah!" Sera screamed and dove out the door again in tactical retreat, leaving Adalyn without a companion.

The music started back up again, but this time the Bard began playing, "Sera was Never".

As Krem glanced back up at the Herald he found her already looking at him with those damn compelling eyes.

She started slightly when she noticed he had caught her staring, and then grinned sheepishly. She walked over to the chair he was seated in and stopped, her arm and index finger extending until her fingernail clinked on the glass of the bottle he held.

"Cheap wine," she commented, looked to his left and right, "Alone,"

She smiled warmly, her tone teasing, "You are at great risk of having me for company this evening."

Krem reached over to his left and grabbed a chair, pulling it over closer to his seat.

"Are you ready to act on that threat, Your Worship?" Krem asked raising an eyebrow.

The Herald took her cue and sat down, but rebelliously plopped a leg over his lap and slouched in her chair.

The sudden contact surprised him, but he didn't dislike the weight or warmth of her leg over his.

"I see I've been demoted from Lieutenant to leg-rest." He commented dryly.

She laughed brightly at his remark and sat up in her chair.

"Can I get a Bumbo?" She suddenly shouted over her shoulder at the bar, causing the bartender to open a cupboard and throw in a literal towel quite aggressively.

"I don't understand that pirate nonsense. Give me the order in proper words, please, Herald!" The poor bartender huffed in teary-eyed vexation.

Adalyn sighed and called back, "Two ounces dark rum, one ounce chilled water, two brown sugar cubes, dash of cinnamon, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Slop it all together. I know you have all those things." She added pointedly.

The bartender reached under the counter reluctantly and began making the order.

Adalyn turned back to Krem and shook her head, "I tip her well and she gives me grief for being a scallywag. You want anything?"

Krem lifted his bottle, "I'm covered."

In the brief pause that followed, her eyes trailed up and down his body, he felt a small flash of regret of not having worn his armor.

"This is the first time I've not seen you in full armor." She observed.

"Like what you see?" Krem asked jokingly, attempting to conceal his growing disquiet.

"Yes." Adalyn said rather bluntly, and then blushed slightly.

"But the armor suits you just as well." She added quickly.

Maybe it was good that he didn't wear his armor after all.

The bartender brought over her drink and Adalyn took it and knocked half of it back.

"Hey!" Krem leaned over and grabbed her arm and forced her to stop, "That's not a good idea."

"Why not?" She asked, sounding innocently unaware of the dangerous affects of drinking alcohol too quickly.

He heaved a tired sigh. This was just like dealing with Dalish on drink night.

"Because you could black out and wake up with a terrible headache."

"Nah." She grunted and tossed the rest of it back to his dismay.

"Rum makes good company turn bad and bad turn good." She half-mumbled as an explanation.

Krem frowned, not quite understanding her meaning, but she continued.

"If they want to nick your stuff, they see you drinking and get close to you. If they are a good friend, they'll tell you to stop or slow down." She cracked a smile and leaned forward, "Now I know what you are."

"A good friend?" Krem blinked in surprise, straightening his posture and drawing back.

"If you consider us to be so, than yes." She nodded, her fingers tapping on the glass she held.

"If it isn't too presumptuous, Your Worship, I would like to be friends."

Adalyn drew a very long breath with her eyes closed, taking her leg off of his and began talking.

"Article One of _The Demon's Gale_ Commandments: 'If a member of this crew wishes to pledge friendship or amity to a particular person or group on an individual level that could possibly affect any and all members of the crew, swear with an exchange of personal items. If trust is betrayed than those items are fair game to destruction or dark enchantment.'"

After that long-winded recitation, she gasped for air and signaled the bartender for another 'Bumbo' thing.

"An exchange of items?" Krem asked when her drink was replaced.

She nodded, taking a sip of her drink, "It's very useful for making new friends. It serves as an exchange of stories, a conversation starter."

Krem could see the practicality of that, but it seemed strange that it would be a rule aboard a ship.

"So, here."

Adalyn reached down her shirt and Krem became mildly concerned until she pulled out her coral whistle and slipped the cord from around her neck. She placed the piece of coral in his palm and closed his fingers around it.

It felt smooth and warm to the touch.

Krem looked up from it and said, "But this is important to you."

"Exactly." She said, "It's important to me, so I am giving it to you… although, I should mention it's enchanted."

"To do what?" He asked, holding the whistle up in the candlelight, watching the light and shadows play on the vibrant blood-red.

"The whistle calls to me, only I or the animals I have enchanted to my will can hear it."

"This could be of more use to you than me." Krem said his final attempt to give her the whistle back.

She shook her head and gently pushed his hand back toward him. "Keep it."

He put the cord over his neck and tucked the whistle under his shirt. He bit his lip in thought then, thinking on what he could give her in return.

He mind went through his favorite possessions; his sewing kit, a little bag of squirrel repellant, some salve for when the binder chaffed, and a small dirk with an Orlesian insignia that he got from his first mission, and his armor.

"Hey, if you are stumped…" He looked up; Adalyn was fiddling with her loose scarf, "Are you willing to part with that handkerchief you lent me?"

"Uh," He said, "Uh, yes." He turned to pull the pouch he carried with him always from around the seat back. He dug through it, pulling out the kerchief and his sewing kit.

She looked on curiously as he also pulled out a scrap of patterned pink fabric, snipping it into the shape of a flower with some scissors from his sewing kit.

He put the scissors away and got out his favorite needle and some pink thread. He stitched the flower onto the handkerchief and wrapped the excess string around his finger, pulling it taught and cutting it with his teeth. He tied the knot at the base and put away his needle and thread back into the kit and the kit into the bag.

Krem handed the kerchief to her, and she took it gingerly, slowly turning it over and tracing his needlework with an entranced look on her face.

"You," She murmured her face still awash in wonderment, "Have such neat stitches."

Krem nodded, "Father was a tailor, I picked up how to sew from a young age. Nothin' special."

"And this: so pretty." She said, tracing the pink fabric's floral pattern.

He had found that in a shop in Denerim, where the Charger's stopped to pick up payment for a job before heading to Haven.

Krem had seen it and thought of her; before he knew what he was doing he had bought a yard of it. (He made most of it into winged nugs for the Alienage's children in Denerim before the Chargers left, but he had kept a scrap of it for himself.)

He grinned, "Found that in Denerim."

He felt his heart swell with pride as he watched her happily tuck the kerchief away in her coat pocket.

"Thank you, I love it."

 _Yes!_

His heart crowed, but then he noticed that she had gone quiet and was drinking again, her eyes distracted.

He studied her face while she seemed not to take notice of him; her eyes flicked back and forth over nothing and her shoulders twitched and expressions changed slightly as if she was having a conversation with someone, but not out loud.

He waited until she caught his gaze; she seemed embarrassed for a moment.

"Sorry, I was lost in thought." She apologized,

"It looked like you were talking." He noted, watching a flash of guilt cross her face.

"I…" She breathed in a heavy sigh, "Am possessed, hence the blood magic."

Krem had always assumed after a mage made a contract with a demon, the demon went on its way or killed the mage; that was clearly not true.

"It stayed?"

"Yes, it's always in the back of my mind at least." She grumbled, resting her chin on the palm of her hand.

"It doesn't control me, I never let it." She added quickly, "I have been trained against that."

"So, what troubles you?" He asked, concerned over how she looked when she was talking to that thing in her head.

"Well," She hesitated, took a drink, then continued, "Solas, the Elvan apostate, and I were speaking earlier, and he told me that demons and spirits are just people."

"The Chief would disagree. He just likes things you can hit. Demons are hard to hit, being in the Fade an' all, not having bodies."

"Exactly, but, Solas made a point that like us, they have wishes, plans, and dreams too."

"What plans does this demon have for you?" Krem asked, hoping the answer was

"He keeps saying that he wants to try possessing a redhead." She said mildly, pulling at her locks gently, which Krem would not call red but rather more of a tawny-Chesnutt color.

"Anyway," Adalyn frowned, dropping her wavy lock of hair.

"That had got me thinking; if the demon is a person, has it been alright for me to call it, 'it' for the entirety of time I've known it?"

"What does it refer to itself as?"

Krem had never gotten to ask Dalish questions like this. Whenever Dalish had a nightmare in the Fade, which was ever so often, Krem would try to coax her to tell him about it over a mug of warm milk, but she always clammed up and mumbled about never seeing the Fade.

Adalyn looked frustrated, her hand now balled up in her hair, holding a good chuck of it.

"It appears as a boy-" Her face scrunched up, and then she rolled her eyes, "Sorry, _man_."

The demon must have snapped back at her. It almost seemed childish.

"He-" She began, and caught herself.

"It. It thinks it's the prettiest piece of leg Thedas has seen this side of a century. That's vanity for you."

Krem snorted and then thought how unbelievable any of this was, he was laughing about a demon. Chief would have a fit.

"Sounds like he would prefer it if he were called a man." Krem commented. He also couldn't believe he was sticking up for a demon's gender expression.

"'He', huh?" Adalyn said quietly, humming a thoughtful sound and drawing her knees up to her chest.

Krem knew he should just let her think, but he wanted to keep making his point. Now, it was personal.

"If he appears as a man and says that is what he is, then he is. No questions."

"You obviously care pretty deeply about this." She said, staring into his eyes and moving her feet down from the chair.

"Yes, well I ought to."

Adalyn went quiet for a moment and then spoke,

"He, Dazai, said 'thank you'." she said quietly, Krem felt bewildered, the demon had responded?

"He is welcome?"

"Yes, well, thank you too. For helping me resolve that. I don't think I could have started calling Dazai a 'he' unprompted."

At that moment, the Bard came over to stop in front of where they were sitting almost on cue with her pleasant strumming and smooth voice.

"Care for another song, this time a request?" She asked Krem.

He looked in between Adalyn and her and saw that their eyes were slightly less similar than he had once thought, but the dark irises were the same shade.

"Do you know Krem, Maryden?"

"No, but I would like to." She said, her eyes doing him a once-over. Krem once again wished for his armor.

"Oh, cheeky!" Adalyn laughed, "I know you've been making eyes at Sera, you can't have him too!"

"That isn't up to you, Herald." The Bard, Maryden, was it? Said.

"No, I suppose you are right." Adalyn sighed.

"So," Maryden said, turning back to Krem, "What will it be?"

Krem found his gaze lingering on Adalyn and wondering what her singing sounded like. Her speaking voice was light and higher-pitched, although when she grew quieter he voice dropped lower, he thought she might have a lovely singing voice.

Maryden must have noticed his gaze because she smirked and suggested, "Why don't we have you sing, Herald?"

Adalyn's eyebrows raised and she chortled, "Clearly you don't remember how bad I used to be, but if you insist…"

Krem had a moment to think on how Maryden and Adalyn knew each other before Adalyn launched into some sort of seaman's shanty.

 _Oh! As I was going to Denerim, 'twas on a market day,_

 _I met the finest ram, sirs, that ever was fed upon hay_

Her voice raised in rowdy was well suited for a song such as this, if it could even be called a song. Her voice held nothing of the sweetness that Krem had expected, but it was amusing to see her stand up on her chair seat and shout.

 _That's a lie! That's a lie!_

 _That's a lie, a lie, a lie!_

 _This ram and I got drunk, sir, as drunk as drunk could be,_

 _And when we sobered up, sir, we were far away out on the sea_

A few giggles and chuckles came from around the room.

"Come on everyone!" Adalyn called jovially, swinging her arm to encourage people.

 _That's a lie! That's a lie!_

…

Gradually others chimed in timidly from the room to sing the chorus.

Her shout-singing was terrible, and not sweet at all, but it held good cheer and raised the room's enthusiasm tenfold.

Krem even found himself joining in on the fun; everyone in the room by the end of the shanty had either lost their breath for laughter or singing.

 _An when this ram was dead, sir, it was buried in Val Royeaux,_

 _It took ten men and a dragon just to carry one of its bones!_

The last verse rolled around and everyone cheered and raised their tankards as the Herald leapt down from her chair and bowed.

Krem grinned, the more he found out about her the more he couldn't help but like her. Sure she was the Herald of Andraste, but the way she connected with people on their level made her so within his reach, both literally and figuratively.

Krem realized he was dangerously close to falling for her, and he, in that moment watching her down another mug of Bumbo, couldn't care less.

* * *

 **Okay, so turns out Templars and Mages are at an impasse, so I guess this means... I choose? Unless someone has very strong feelings one way or the other, I think I have made my final decision.**

 **Hope you are ready for Dazai meeting Cole 'cause it's about to get spirity up in here. (Come on everyone, let's take a day trip to the Fade!)**

 **Hit me up with a review or PM if you don't like the sound of that, or if you thought this chapter was either terrible or pretty ok. I'd like to hear from you people more!**

 **Thank you for reading!**


	6. Champions of the Just

A noble she remembered from her childhood, Lord Abernache, stood in front of her, kissing her hand with all the snotty decorum that Orlais seemed to spout in spades.

"Lady Adeline-Victoire Chastain, it is an honor to be sure." He purred like a cat dropped into a vat of slime.

Ah. Her full name. Disgusting.

She hadn't been called that since she was nine years old. Ever since she was taken she used the Fereldan pronunciation of her first name and ditched the middle and last names.

 _Warning. This man wants in your dowry._

Dazai chimed in, ever helpful with his insight into other's desires directed at her.

 _Thanks._

She thought back, removing her hand gently from the Orlisain's grip.

"It is not unlike the second dispersal of the reclaimed Dales."

Adalyn dug through her memory to try and remember what that historical constituted exactly. He eight-year-old memory bank failed her and she couldn't recall much about what her tutor had tried to teach her.

"Care to mark the moment? Ten Orlisain house walk with you!" Lord Abernache said pompously.

Adalyn smiled courteously and "It's a shining day to have best of Orlais in step with the Inquisition. The first of many inspirational and influential partnerships, I hope."

 _Nailed it._

"Oh, you're a natural, people will give you anything!"

Dazai sounded pleased with himself and said,

 _Of course they will, you are, after all, my human._

"Speaking of which, I don't suppose you'd divulge what finally got their attention? Rumor, my dear, will tell if you do not."

 _Eugh. He is so condescending._

Adalyn shuddered internally and said,

"The Inquisition got his attention by showing up at their doorstep with so many nobles, as simple as that."

….

Adalyn walked past the nobles on the bridge huffing and clucking at the Templars is a way that only Orlesians could do.

"Do you not seeee ze sky, Ser Knight!" Varric mocked in accented falsetto when out of earshot.

Adalyn snorted quietly and shushed him,

"We are here on business, Varric. Do save your jokes for later."

"Oh! But Ze 'anged man is so FILTHY!" He crooned again, dancing out of the way when Cassandra attempted to bash his head in with an armored fist.

"Defensive walls, I like it." Bull commented from beside her, looking around and admiring the fortress.

Adalyn brought Bull mostly for the intimidation factor.

Nothing like a sweet-looking Herald of Andraste leading a small gaggle of Orisian nobles backed up by a massive one-eyed Qunari bodyguard, right?

As she approached the gates she heard a Templar woman stop a noblewoman with a polite 'excuse me', and ask about the whereabouts of the Herald.

Adalyn changed directions and walked over toward them instead, stopping to the side of the Templar and tapping her shoulder lightly.

"I am the one they call the Herald of Andraste. The Inquisition thanks the Templars for the invitation to parley."

"Oh!" The Templar woman said, startled and surprised, then ducked a little in a bow.

"We are grateful you could come all this way, my Lady. And…" Her curious eyes darted to Adalyn's and then shot back down shyly. "We don't get many mages here, or at least ones that are happy to see us."

"It is a terrible world where Templars and Mages must fear each other. I hope for a greater state of harmony in the future once the Breach is sealed, hopefully with your help." Adalyn said pleasantly, smiling at the soldier. "I hope that is an idea you and your fellow soldiers can get behind."

"It is! I never thought the Herald would be a mage, but I'm glad now, that it was you. Andraste made no mistake."

Adalyn beamed internally, this was big, the Templars knew she was blood mage and yet reacted positively! Well, at least this Templar.

"Thank you." Adalyn said, toning her enthused smile down to be polite.

"That is what I truly believe having met you, just saying what I think." She pursed her lips and glanced over at the portcullis, "Ser Barris will want to speak with you now. He is that way." She pointed and Adalyn followed with her eyes.

Adalyn thanked her once more and went over to speak with the Knight-Templar.

As she approached, the Knight Templar brushed aside Lord Abernache to speak with her instead.

"I'm the one who sent word to Cullen." He began, "He says the Inquisition works to close this Breach in the Veil."

He looked of the side where Lord Abernache stood glaring at the Knight Templar from beneath his gilded mask.

"I didn't think you'd bring such lofty company." He said.

"Barrus…" Lord Abernache mused, "Moderate holdings, your family. And the second son…?" He scoffed.

Barrus's eyes turned back to Adalyn holding lingering distaste for the manners of the nobles.

"This… promise of status has garnered interest from the Lord Seeker." He said, shaking his head slightly either in disapproval or disbelief.

"Beyond sense." He added with a sigh.

Adalyn gave him a sympathetic smile and shrugged, "I cannot explain the reasoning behind the Lord Seekers actions. All that matters is that the Templars themselves wish to join the Inquisition and close the Breach in the Veil."

"We cannot abandon our orders, or the surviving Captains that follow the Lord Seeker."

"As you wish." Adalyn nodded and looked behind him to the gates, "Where will we parley?"

"Follow me," Barrus motioned for them to go into the courtyard of the fortress.

"The Lord Seeker has a request before you meet him." He said while still walking ahead of her.

Adalyn narrowed her eyes; terms before parley usually ended in unfair conditions or a trap in her experience as a pirate.

 _He could ask us to leave our weapons, not take our backup, take a hostage…_

Her mind ran with all the possible tricks the Lord Seeker could plan until Ser Barrus indicated a set of three banners on the inner fortress wall.

"These are the standards. An honored right. The People, the Maker, and the Order." Ser Barrus stopped at attention.

"The Lord Seeker asks that you perform the right so that he may see the order in which you honor them."

Adalyn thought, studying the banners as Abernache burst into blusterous fury at Barrus.

 _This is probably just a way for him to see what he can play to for my support. Not harmful, right?_

"We will complete the ritual as the Lord Seeker requests." She announced to Barrus and the courtyard.

She walked over to the three wheels and looked at the standards in turn.

She raised the people's flag the highest without hesitation.

 _What to do next?_

She remembered Josephine saying that faith is one of the few things that binds nearly all people from all across Thedas.

She raised the Maker's flag into the second highest place.

She kept the Templar's banner at the bottom.

 _Are you sure this will make the Templars more inclined to like you?_

Dazai asked, warning her fairly and serving quite effectively as her control.

 _The Templars original purpose is to serve both the Maker and the People, yes? Then that would make their place at the bottom._

Dazai huffed,

 _I see that wisdom. But don't tell them to know their place until_ after _we have seduced them all and made off with their underthings._

 _Whoever said I wanted to do that?_

"My reasons are my own. Just as you asked for." She said, turning to Barris.

He nodded and accepted her explanation, while the Lord Abernache blustered furiously against it.

"Follow me, please." Barrus said again, and lead the way to the dimly-lit meeting room.

After some more bickering with everyone's favorite Orlisain, another Templar entered the room, followed by several others.

"You were expecting the Lord Seeker, he sent _me_ to die for you."

 _Sent… what?_

Adalyn felt her confidence slip, she had no idea what the man was ever talking about, but it seemed Abernache did. Somewhat.

"Knight-Captain! Lord Esmeral Abernache, honored. It is not unlike the second dispersal of the reclaimed Dales."

 _Is that the only history event he knows, or is he reciting what he practiced in the mirror before coming here?_

"No doubt rank keeps you above such things," The Lord continued, "A pity more people don't understand that."

A dark chuckle came from beneath the Templar's helmet and Adalyn knew things had defiantly gone sour.

"This is the grand alliance the Inquisition offers?" The Knight-Captain taunted.

 _This may need some intervention._

"Lord Abernache I would advise giving the Knight-Captain some distance." Adalyn said carefully, keeping her eyes on the Templar, her hand moving for her knives.

"You've a silver tongue, but I won't let you have the Knight and his Captain, pretty one."

Adalyn tried not to make her low growl audible as Abernache turned to the Knight Captain for approval.

The Knight Captain instead went on to tell her exactly when she tripped up the trap of a cart full of donkey shit.

"The Lord Seeker had a plan, but the Herald ruined it by arriving with Purpose. It sowed too much decent."

 _Shit._

"Knight-Captian," Barrus addressed his superior, approaching him, "I need to know what's going on."

The sound of fighting began outside the room.

"You were all soused to be changed! Now we must purge the questioning Knights!"

 _Double Shit._

"For once, I agree with the-" Abernache got cut off by an arrow to the face.

"The Elder One is coming. No one will leave Therinfal who is not stained red!"

Her fingers dexterously unsheathed her knives and kicked up her magic barrier.

"Let's go."

…

She had cut through a good many more Templars than she hoped she would have to do today.

She usually wouldn't have any qualms killing Templars… But when other Templars turned on their kin over red lyrium? That was messed up.

But as she approached the staircase leading to the main hall and saw the back of the corrupted Lord Seeker, she felt rage at this man for doing his Order wrong and twisting them into something far worse than Adalyn had ever imagined.

She stalked towards him, raw electricity tingling at her palms, but knives in their sheaths.

He turned around and he grabbed her by her armor, catching her off guard.

"At. Last!" The Lord Seeker hissed as he pulled her through the doors and a halo of green light.

…

When she opened her eyes next she stood enveloped in mist and sickly green light.

She took a cautious step,

 _How… Did I get here?_

She wondered foggily, daring a few more steps.

She took another step, and then she saw the bodies.

The crouched, tormented, flaming bodies from the Temple of Sacred Ashes. The ones she so desperately tried to forget.

She felt sick.

Up ahead, two silhouettes stood on a small stone platform.

People.

She moved towards them with a quickening pace, hoping to ask them where she was and how she got her—

It was Cullen and Josephine, but-?

A gasp of air jarred her nerves, and Lilliana appeared from a shadowy gap in the wall.

"Is this shape useful?" Lilliana crooned her voice two-toned, layered with the voice of a demon. "Will it let me know you?"

Adalyn crossed her arms defensively, this wasn't Dazai, he wasn't like this. It was a stranger.

"Everything tells me about you." It strode over to Cullen's body and put a knife to his neck, "So will this: watch."

"Are you trying to tempt me or copy me?" She snapped.

The demon slowly slit Cullen's throat and let him fall before sheathing it's knife.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO COPY ME?" Demon-Lilliana howled mockingly in Adalyn's voice and disappeared back into the shadows.

Josephine's body suddenly became alive, the demon was using it. The demon walked leisurely past Adalyn and cackled.

"Being you will be so much more interesting than being the Lord Seeker." It laughed, its voice laced with Josephine's Antivan tongue trills.

When the demon passed behind Adalyn, she could no longer see where it went, but heard the voice still ringing out.

"Do you know what the Inquisition can become? You'll see. When I am done, the Elder One will kill you and ascend. And then I will _be_ you."

"I saw through you. Demon. Give it up. I am already bound to a Desire Demon."

The dark laugh came again and Josephine's body reappeared and circled to stand in front of Adalyn.

"Glory is coming. And the Elder One wants you to serve him like everyone else; by dying in the right way."

Adalyn knew how to deal with demons. Don't show fear or surprise, play to what they want.

"Keep talking then," She drawled, watching the demon retreat and possess Cullen instead.

"I am not your toy! I am Envy, and I will know you!" The demon growled with Cullen's face.

"Tell me, Herald, in your mind." Cullen said, crossing to a black-stained demon conjured version of herself and stabbing it with a mirror-image of her favorite knife.

"Tell me what you think."

It appeared at the War Table of the stone platform.

"Tell me what you feel!"

A cry of pain came from behind her.

Adalyn turned around just in time to see the demon-copy of her fall dead on the ground, the knife-copy in her real hand.

"Tell me what you see."

And then the demon's voice was gone, the air cleared slightly and Envy-Cullen disappeared.

Adalyn checked mentally again, and knew. She could feel Envy's eyes still on her. It didn't matter.

She jogged through the only doorway and into another stone-walled room. This one glowed red with corrupted lyrium.

On the floor, a demon's-copy of her sat on the floor in chains, Inquisition soldiers holding her at sword-point, Cassandra pacing in from of her like a wildcat.

"Do you deny it? Do you dare deny your crime?" Cassandra snarled.

She remembered this. This already happened; there was no need to seize up in fear.

Adalyn gritted her teeth and circumvented the group and opened the next door.

The demon's copy of her stood with two other people, blocking the hallway.

"Our reach begins to match my ambition—but we will strive for more." The demon-her said.

"Is imitating what you can't have your only pleasure, demon?" Adalyn snarked, hoping it would strike a nerve.

"Accusing, trying to find my weakness. Is that the woman you are?" The demon laughed.

The three figures disappeared in an explosion of smoke quite like the ones Dusty used to make aboard T _he Demon's Gale_.

Adalyn moved through it and continued on into the fog, nearly getting scorched by green fire pouring from spouts from the ceiling.

She yelped and leapt back, one hand to her heart and the other clenching around the hilt of her favorite dagger at her hip.

"Were you in earnest when you chose the People's flag on the scaffolding? For when I am done with you the People will remember you with fear." The Demon's voice snarled.

Adalyn shuddered and bolted for the side of the room, away from the fire.

 _Where is Dazai? Why isn't he helping me?_

Tears prickled at her eyes,

 _Shit. If I want him then I truly am desperate. I don't think I've been this afraid of the Fade since…_

Memories of enduring nightmares as a young girl and crying herself back to sleep, making sure to sob quieter as to not wake her mother or the baby.

Her mother had threatened to beat her if she woke the baby again.

She didn't want to be hurt, but her fear of the Fade and what it held and the ceaseless whispers drowned out most reason.

Dazai had some along when she was seven and helped her hide from other demons back when she didn't realize that he was a demon as well, attempting to trick her.

She had realized his true form when the Templars had taken her, when she sat in the Circle's dungeon after suffering abuse from malevolent Templars.

Dazai had appeared and she just knew. He appeared different somehow, stronger, more volatile. He had held out a hand and offer her everything she could desire.

She had taken his hand and sealed the contract. From that moment on the terror of the Fade had been over.

She rubbed her sweaty palms on her pants and shook her head. She was over that. It is in the past, move on, keep moving.

The green fire changed direction and she dashed out into the open, ducking into another room to avoid another torrent.

"The Inquisition's forces dwarf any other kingdoms; we can destroy whomever we want!" Cried a fake soldier, an apparition, from beside Adalyn.

"Do you see how glorious the Inquisition will be after you die at the hands of The Elder One?" The demon's voice ricocheted through the fire.

Adalyn ignored Envy, bolting again through the whirling fire and dodged a near hit, running into a room for shelter again.

"Hurting, helpless, hasty." A new voice, it was gentle, not Envy. "What happens to the hammer when there are no more nails?"

Adalyn whirled around, looking through the cobbled room for the source.

"What are you?!" Envy barked. "Get out! This is my place!"

Envy went silent again as Adalyn held still. And not hearing another call of the gentle voice, she decided to take her chances with another room.

As she walked out the door the voice said, "Wait,"

She went back into the room cautiously.

"Envy is hurting you. Mirrors on mirrors on memories. A face it can feel but not fake. I want to help. You, not Envy." A gentle voice echoes through the room, the source unidentifiable unless it was one of the chairs on the wall talking.

The voice unidentifiable, but the voice was… familiar somehow. Like she heard it once in a dream, or a dream of a dream.

"Who are you? I've seen you before, haven't I?" She asked, looking around the room still.

"I've been watching. I'm Cole. We're inside you. Or, I am. You're always inside you."

She finally caught sight of the spirit on the ceiling, or what she assumed was the ceiling.

It took the form of a strangely dressed boy with a hat, a spirit, maybe.

"It's easy to hear. Harder to be apart of what you are hearing. But I'm here, healing, healing. I hope."

'Cole' reached out and smoothed the air next to her cheek and continued,

"Envy hurt you. _Is_ hurting you. I tried to help, and then I was here, in the hearing. It-it's not usually like this."

"If you can tell me where my friend is or how to wake up, I would appreciate it."

A hiss came from outside, causing panic to spike in her heart. Envy did nothing, so she turned back to the spirit.

"I was watching. I watch. Every Templar knew when you arrived. They were impressed, but not like the Lord Seeker."

"The Lord Seeker is an Envy demon. For some reason, it wants' to be me."

"You're frozen. Envy is trying to take your face, I heard it. And then I was here."

"Alright Cole, if you really want to help, help me get out." Adalyn said softly, hoping the coax the riddle-speaking spirit to give directions to the way out.

"Being one person is hard. Being many is harder. Too many. He breaks down. You break out."

"So, if we keep moving, we tire Envy out?" Adalyn interpreted.

"It is better than sitting here, waiting to lose your face." Cole then motioned for hr to follow and began jogging away through the door.

"This way." He said.

She followed him and came to a stop before the two last fire-spouts. If she crossed them she would be burned, she knew it.

"Ideas are loud. Make them louder. Think of water." He said, at the sound of his voice she got the feeling she knew what he meant.

She did as he asked and the fire turned to a steady drizzle of water from pipes. There was a door, just like all the others at the end of the room behind the water. She walked towards them.

The door exploded suddenly in a flash of green and Envy cackled as she gave a startled scream.

"What do you say to your crimes, Heretic?"

Her vision cleared and in her way stood the demon-copy facing down Mother Giselle.

"This is a farce. I demand justice!" mother Giselle cried.

"Have it." The demon said. "Take her to the Gallows."

"No one will actually believe you are me, demon!" Adalyn spat, trying to yank Mother Gisselle away from the fake guards who were taking her away.

It laughed and said, "Do your friends know you so well?"

Adalyn felt a flash of doubt.

"Not as well as I'll know you."

And then the figures exploded in smoke as before, leaving Adalyn standing in a partially flooded dungeon by the looks of it.

She looked around and saw that there was more than one doorway. She entered on and saw Cullen in a cell,

"The Herald has questions for you." An apparition snarled at the Commander.

She ran out of the room and to the one across the hall, she saw Cole first, standing outside of the cell. She hesitated to look in the cell this time, what if it was someone else she cared about? She didn't want to hear what she might do to—

"Hey! Addie! Get me out of here!"

Her head snapped to the cage at the sound of Dazai's voice.

"He says he knows you." Cole said quietly. "He wants to help."

Sure enough, the one rattling the bars was the demon of the hour himself, looking absolutely furious.

"That THING put me in here. How dare he just march in here and run around like he owns the place?! I own you, no one else. Got it?" Dazai snarled, stamping his foot indignantly.

Adalyn sighed in relief and turned to Cole, "Can we get him out?"

"That depends on you." He said, shifting his weight from foot to foot pensively.

"What he means is… you need to desire me."

"You need me to wish you out of the cage?" Adalyn asked incredulously.

"Yes! I am a Desire Demon after all!" He huffed impatiently.

"Alright…" Adalyn said and then thought of wanting Dazai out of the cage and by her side.

When she next opened her eyes, he was unbearably close to her, his arms wrapped around her like a spider's web.

"Thanks for that, Dear Heart." He purred, stroking up her back with a taunting finger.

She yelped and squirmed from his grip and he promptly let go, backing away.

He laughed playfully and cracked his knuckled, his expression turning dark.

"Now let's find this impudent fool and show him who owns you."

His eyes were lit up in a violently possessive light,

"Let's light them up." He growled, motioning to the veilfire braziers, "And then ditch the kid."

Adalyn nodded, "If you think that will help, but not the kid. He's been helping."

Dazai seem displeased, but both he and Cole followed her into each room as she lit every one of the braziers and then returned to the end of the hall the light the last one.

The wall slid backwards, revealing another doorway to the left.

Adalyn turned into the doorway and heard,

"Two days with no food. One day with no water. I wish I just knew what the Herald wants me to confess!"

 _Josephine._

She turned to look at the cell despite warnings from Dazai.

And there she saw Josephine, on her knees, crying and pledging.

 _Oh, Maker._

Tears welled up in her eyes unbidden and her feet felt rooted to the ground. Like the Fade itself was chained to her legs and wouldn't let her think or move.

Suddenly, the weight was gone and she was moving again, but her own feet were dangling off the ground and her cheek was resting on Dazai's chest.

He was carrying her in his arms like a bride through the side door way and up a flight of steps, Cole following closely behind.

She wanted to ask him to put her down, but as she opened her lips her words flew silently away.

Dazai didn't look down at her, but spoke, his voice commanding,

"Your purpose is to survive this, to get out of here, and show that bastard that you are stronger than him."

 _Purpose…? Wasn't that the spirit Solas said that all Desire Demons once were? How ironic._

She thought foggily, watching as Cole slipped in front of Dazai to show him the way through the thick mass of demons, fog, and soldiers to the tavern and up the stairs inside.

Once they reached the upper floor of the tavern, near the door to the wall of the keep, Dazai put her gently down on her feet and grasped her arms,

"Listen to me, Dear Heart. All humor aside, you shouldn't falter here." His dark eyes bore into hers, a silent warning passing from him to her as Cole looked on.

"I know." She said grimly and he let go, albeit reluctantly.

"I can't help you confront him." He warned.

"Why not?" Adalyn asked, prompting a shocking shudder from Dazai.

"You-you really don't want to know. But-" He gave her a cringing look, "Do give my thanks again to that mercenary lad. You have no idea how wonderful it feels to be called 'he' by you."

"Kinky," Adalyn muttered and quickly grabbed Cole and made away for the door to avoid the following wrath of Dazai.

"Strangers, yet familiar. I turned for you. See me. Love me. Desire twisted. Paths barred. Want to help. I could give you purpose." Cole said as they jogged to the place where she had been pulled through into the Fade.

"Cole?" She asked, hoping for context. She got none.

' _Arriving with purpose….' That's what the Knight-Captain had said, but what if Solas was right about Desire demons once being Spirits of Purpose… and the Knight-Captain meant Purpose as a person… Oh SHI-_

That was the last thing she thought before diving back into the real world.

…

Envy was defeated.

The Templars succeeded in their struggle against their corrupted Captains and Officers, and joined Adalyn and her companions after the battle.

Ser Barrus approached first, "The Templars are ready to hear what the Inquisition need of them."

She took in a breath and channeled her inner motivational speech-giver,

"Words will not seal the Breach alone. We need you," she gestured to the Templars gathered in front of her and then to the sky where the Breach loomed.

"We need men and woman such as you who will stand for your own honor as well as the Inquisition. And if you no longer believe that the Templars stand for honor, you are wrong. I have seen it is each and every one of you today."

"You speak of individuals, and of truths we should not have ignored. But what of the Order? We are leaderless. We must rebuild it."

Adalyn knew this was a pivotal moment in the future of Thedas whether she wanted to be a part of it or not.

"No. Not yet. First, the Breach must be sealed. Join us," She motioned to her companions, "Join under the Inquisition's name and we will find a place for your Templars in the future if we can as true peace-keepers of Thedas once more. This is our offer."

Ser Barrus turned back to the Templars and asked, "If that is the only way, Templars, will we serve the Inquisition to atone for our failure?"

In response, all of the Templars kneeled reverently and maybe a little fearfully.

"So be it." Barrus sighed, "The Order… will disband, and take up the Inquisition's banner."

"Take heart, Ser Barrus." She said gently, putting a hand to his shoulder,

"Once the Breach is sealed, and order restored to Thedas, the Inquisition will do what it can to reestablish the Order anew from the ashes of this travesty."

He nodded solemnly and moved away, giving orders to the former Templars.

Adalyn stood for a moment, breathing in to clear her head and catching a scent on the wind that she could not mistake; the sea.

 _A dark force has been set in motion, beware._

Karris had left her a warning.

This …did not bode well.

* * *

 **Next up:**

 **Celine, Gaspard, or Briala with either.**

 **Four or Five chapters till that die is cast.**

 **Hope you like it so far.**


	7. The Calm Before the Storm

Spymaster Liliana handed him the orders and had studied him as he carefully unrolled the page and read the details.

The plan was exactly the idea he had proposed to Adalyn one afternoon a few days back when she returned; send a few Chargers to Redcliffe and find out what became of the mages. He had noted their sudden lack of communication with the rest of Thedas odd, and had thought the Inquisition might want to look into it.

"Thank you, Seneschal Liliana." He said with a polite nod, "The Chargers will not disappoint the Inquisition."

Liliana gave him the most brief and thinned-down of smiles before turned back to her work with a sigh,

"I hope that information will help. Send some troops for stealth." She said, beginning to shuffle through reports left untouched on her desk.

Krem gave another nod and left her tent and back to the Chargers outside of Haven's gates. As he walked, he thought of who he could send to Redcliffe to scout the castle and look for the mages. Skinner was not ideal; she was a little _too_ blood-thirsty….

He passed a few Templars by the gates and tried to be careful not to stare.

He had remembered seeing few Templars in Tevinter, and when they appeared it meant some foreign diplomats were coming to visit. It also meant his father would get an increased shipment of wool from Fereldan, or furs from Orlais, cheap ones to make into coats. That correlation meant more to him than the actual presence of the Templars in the Imperium.

He couldn't say he saw the move coming from Adalyn, seeing as she was a blood-mage.

She had demonstrated an interest in changing how the world views mages and how Templars operated. She set herself up to be a powerful player in the Game and deciding the fate of the Templar Order and the place that all the Mages of Thedas would have in the future.

She planned for the long-term. Krem could respect that. He had spent so much of his life with his head down, just looking as far as his next meal, a bed for the night, a place to hide for the Imperium's ex-army hunters, and now with Bull and the Chargers, hopping from job to job, never planning or knowing where they would end up; Nevrara, Orlais, Fereldan, and now here.

Adalyn's propensity for long-term planning made him feel secure in the idea that the Chargers would stay with the Inquisition for longer than any other contractor.

Krem turned over to where the Chargers had their tents and called to Bull,

"Chief! We've got our first job!"

"Finally!" Bull roared, stretching and pulling aside the axe he was waxing the handle of,

"Particulars, Krem?" He asked, standing up and taking the paper from Krem with the details on it.

"Stealth mission. Seeing why the Rebel Mages got quiet at Redcliffe. Thought of sending a team of six with three throat-cutters and two archers."

"Dalish type of 'archers'?" Bull asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Depends, Chief." Krem asked his superior, "Think they need one?"

"Fight magic with magic, might be on more even ground. Send one of the veterans, too."

Krem nodded, taking back the report and heading out to the boys.

"Chargers!" He yelled. The Chargers came out of their tents or stopped talking to look at him.

"We've got an order. We will be sending a stealth team to Redcliffe castle. We have more information on this." He raised the rolled up page and looked through the gathered crowd of mercenaries.

"We'll be sending Mavis, Craggy, Armus, Duke, Creep, and Tuck." He announced, handing the intel to Tuck, a member of the Chargers for the span of three years, a natural but quiet leader.

Mavis was a mage, specializing in all things cold. (You did not want her on your bad side; some of the Chargers had awaked occasionally to their butt being frozen in ice before you were any the wiser.) Craggy was a dwarf rogue, and Creep was an ex-assassin from the Free Marches. And Armus and Duke were twin archers from the Anderfells. An all-around solid group for a stealth mission.

"Ooh! Ooh!" Roger called waving his hand above the group, "Pick me too!"

"I'm sorry, Roger. But stealth isn't your strong point."

The Chargers roared in laughter and if they were close enough, gave Roger a hearty pound on the back.

Krem stood and watched the general assembly descend into comradely chaos and smiled, shaking his head fondly.

"Oh! There he is!"

 _Adalyn._

He looked over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of her and in a moment of panic had just enough time to twist his whole body around and brace for impact as she crashed headlong into his armor. She had tried to catch her arms around his neck. Emphasis on _tried_. Her fingers instead barely brushed the back of his neck even when sliding down to her tiptoes.

Smiling in defeat, she retracted her arms. "Hello." She said smiling fondly at him now, her hands once more clasped behind her back.

"You're tall."She laughed, her voice and smile glowing.

"Hel-" he began, and was cut off by whistles from the Chargers in their direction.

 _Shit. This could be bad._

"Got a girl already?" One hooted. "What'd you do to impress that one!"

Another incredulously called. "Cute little one too!"

Someone chortled.

"Oh shut it!" Krem yelled back at them, causing some snickers but mostly got the Chargers under control. He turned back to her and said, "I've given them their orders. Orders, I think, you might have passed along after hearing me talk."

"Did I?" She asked, feigning obliviousness and tilting her head to the side, "I don't recall doing such a thing."

Krem motioned for her to follow him, aiming to take her away from the ogling Chargers. She followed after a moment of speculation.

"We talked here." He said. Stopping in front of his tent and gesturing to the ground.

"We did, did we?" Adalyn mused while pacing, her boots crunching the surface of the snowy ground.

"We did." Krem said, and then he felt like doing a little mischief.

"And you also confessed your undying love to me."

Adalyn turned to him with a funny look on her face, a cross between mild concern, embarrassment, and amusement.

"Uh. No." She managed, "I suddenly remembered that we spoke here about the assignment, but not about your deepest fantasies. Sorry, Lieutenant."

He cracked a fond smile and felt his former curiosity ebb through his conscious to the front of his mind.

"Though, if I may ask…"

She nodded and he took that as his cue to continue.

"Why the Templars?" He asked.

"Ah," She said, suddenly sounding a little worn out. He started to regret asking but she continued,

"I like to calculate every possible outcome of a situation. Had I chose the mages; my connections in Orlais would be reduced to ash, the Inquisition would seem more eager to let mages roam free… and that is not the goal of the Inquisition. That." She said, "Is my personal agenda."

"You have connections in Orlais?" Krem asked, wondering what friends she had made in that country.

 _Hopefully not ones like Skinner._

"Off topic, but the Chargers seemed to have the impression I was naught but wilting damsel in your arms… Do you chase after girls often?" Adalyn asked, clearly avoiding the subject of friends in Orlais.

"Are you jealous?" Krem dodged similarly and snarked. He did not often develop romantic feelings, but when he did… hoooh boy.

"Yes…" Adalyn blushed and turned her head away shyly.

 _Oh…. She is? She IS?!_

Krem's mind was a mess on seeing that. Krem's ears were now tipped with red in a blush and his body seemed to be set in paralysis.

"I'm jealous of _you_ ," She sighed, resting her head on her hand woefully,

 _Oh. Of course. That's what she meant. Right. Right._

"I can't just flirt with every beautiful woman I come across on my travels! I'd cause half of Thedas heartbreak when they discover I value a good bottle of rum over them!" Adalyn crossed her arms and sighed.

Krem crossed his arms, mimicking her pose and snorted, "You think they would fall for you?"

"I know they would." She said with a saucy wink and a hand on her hip.

"Now I should be asking you if you chase after girls often." Krem turned her own line of questions on her. He did want to know more about her, and was also hoping to gauge whether or not she could like… well, him.

"Oh, I used to flirt with the Chantry sisters in the small village where I lived for a year."

"Have an… ahem, uh… an interest in men as well?" He asked, trying so hard to be as nonchalant as possible while looking anywhere but her.

A laugh punctuated the silence that followed.

"Yes. Unfortunately for my poor, poor, heart." Adalyn said, clasping her hands over her chest as if that could sooth the imaginary pain.

"Hark! I swoon." She said in a painfully high mock-falsetto, and dipped slightly toward him, "Catch me as I swoon, brave Lieutenant!"

He grinned, "I can do better than that."

He ducked down and caught her legs under one arm and her back with the other and raised her up to his chest.

She gave a surprised yelp and clung to his shoulder pauldrons as he laughed lightly and bounced her up. She hissed in panic and clung tighter to him.

"You are _such_ a tease!" She huffed, swinging her legs and attempting to hit him in the head with them. Her attention caught the ground below her and she stopped kicking, her grip went lax.

"So this is what it feels like to be tall?" She mumbled quietly to herself.

Krem lowered her to the ground gently and set her on her feet.

She regained her balanced and mock-delicately brushed snowflakes off her casual clothes.

"I will not," She said pointedly, "Be doing that again."

"You didn't like… I'm sorry." Krem stuttered.

"No, you-" She cut herself off and looked up at him frustratedly with her cheeks tinged pink, "I liked it way too much."

"You did?" He felt a surge of glee and fought to keep his face composed.

"The height reminds me of the mainmast and particularly the crow's nest. The wind would blow in your face and the swaying would make you nauseous and the world would start tilting at an axis and make you question your sanity. But that isn't…" She smiled and said quietly, "the worst feeling in the world."

"Best metaphor for love _I_ ever heard!" Exclaimed the dwarf whom he saw sometimes by Adalyn's side, Varric, was it?

Krem's heart did a little trip,

 _Love? Is she…? No. Probably not._

He mentally chastised his inner hopes.

The dwarf came up behind them and gave both of them a cordial nod,

"That isn't—never mind." Adalyn sighed seemingly giving up any change of arguing with the dwarf.

"Have you talked to Josephine about that party yet?" Varric asked.

Adalyn gasped in joy, "Yes!"

She was glowing with excitement and looking radiant.

He wasn't exactly sure how much more his heart could take before collapsing.

"It's in two days! After we close the Breach day after next."

Varric grinned, "With the sky closed up and not throwing down demons on our heads will be a start to something. Maybe the start of the end of this shit-ride and your ticket back to your boat."

Adalyn smiled a little wistfully and looked to the Breach in the sky.

"We will just have to see about that."

Once the Breach was sealed, there would be no major threat to all of Thedas. Adalyn's purpose in the Inquisition would fade away and she wouldn't be needed as 'The Herald of Andraste' anymore.

 _Maybe then…_

Krem thought wishfully, watching her laugh lightheartedly at something Varric said about nugs.

And there was no guarantee of what her reaction would be if she got a gander of what lay under his armor. But after seeing her calm reaction to The Iron Bull, he doubted he had any need to worry.


	8. Haven Attacked

**Warning: Graphic violence in some places: you are forewarned.(Also, sailor-level cursing)  
**

* * *

This was it. The Breach was closed. There were minor rifts still, but they were not at the forefront of everyone's mind tonight as they celebrated.

There was dancing and drinking, Maryden played the lute as people clapped along.

 _But how soon will it be before they decide that they don't need me anymore?_

How long would it be before she fell back into that meaningless droll of existence?

"You did it,"

Her thoughts were abruptly sidetracked when a new presence settled next to her.

Krem.

She was so glad he was here.

"Yeah, I guess so." She sighed, tracing patterns in the light dusting of snow on the stone wall.

"It might be back to goat herding after this."

Krem smiled, "With only Chantry sisters to flirt with, yes."

Adalyn laughed distractedly, "I suppose."

"You could-" Krem started, then cut off abruptly.

Adalyn turned to face him, sensing something wrong in his

"I could…" She egged, lightly nudging his arm next to hers with her side.

He was looking down at the ground pensively, chewing on his lip like he tended to do while in thought. Somehow she was always studying his lips… she had to stop that.

Abruptly he looked at her and blurted, "Join the Chargers."

"Oh," She blinked in surprise. "Oh!"

Krem drew back a little into a more formal stance and cleared his throat, "If you wanted to, of course. Neither the Chief or I've got a problem with it, so…"

He turned his head to the side, breaking eye-contact and…

 _His ears are totally red… Is he blushing?! This man…_

Her heart did a funny flutter and she pinched her lips closed to keep from crowing.

 _Maybe… maybe he likes me too…_

She thought giddily.

Adalyn couldn't stop herself from grinning like an idiot, however,

"I would like that." She said,

Oh, Maker; she had it bad.

Krem's eyes met hers and there was a wordless sort of feeling that buzzed though the air. It caused her stomach to drop and her head to feel light and her heart to pound; this was love.

Suddenly, he looked away, leaving Adalyn feeling alone and gazing out where he was looking now.

He obviously felt uncomfortable when she expected there to be something between them.

 _I should stop… I should stop being so in love with him. He doesn't…_

She balled her left hand into a fist, fingers clenching over the anchor, her resolve setting in and her drunken feelings sobering up with the mental equivalent of a Bloody Mary.

She sighed out all the hot air in her lungs and knew she had to keep the conversation going. She still wanted to be friends with him, even if it wasn't likely that they would ever be together.

"It's… actually my twentieth name-day today." She said, stretching her arms over the railing and taking in a lungful of the winter air.

"Never thought you'd live to see it, hm?" Krem asked jokingly, lightly, making her heart do tumbles.

 _This is going to be hard._

"The truth is… no, not really." Adalyn admitted.

Just then, a pang of alarm surged through her mind; Adalyn immediately focused inward and checked if Dazai was alright.

 _I am fine. Your mentor sent a warning of some sort. It was hurried and unclear._

"Is something wrong?" Krem asked, his hand hovering over her shoulder in concern, his eyebrows were pulled close together in a frown.

"No, it's-"

Her words were cut through by the panicked ring of a bell. Her eyes snapped to the gates, and then to the Breach, but her sight never made it past the mountain.

An army was descending the mountain, their torch light illuminating the entire side of the mountain.

 _How could I have missed that?!_

She cursed and backed away from the wall, grabbing Cassandra by the arm as she passed by.

"We must meet Cullen. He is by the gates." Cassandra said hurriedly, passing her and moving down the stairs, yelling orders to the soldiers in earshot.

Adalyn felt paralyzed in that moment. The sort-of peaceful respite she had forced herself to enjoy suddenly shattered in a rude wake-up call from reality.

 _Dazai, I'm scared._

No response came in response to her mental whisper.

Another moment of terror washed over her, sending a violent jerk through her body and nervous system.

Her vision went fuzzy and her mind only desperately searched for signs of Dazai.

Then…

Calm.

She blinked, forgetting her fear.

 _Your purpose is to protect these people. Get to the gates._

The voice was Dazai's, and yet at the same time wasn't.

But the way those words gave her power over her body again, she didn't seek to go against them.

Distractedly she turned to Krem, she had almost forgotten he was still standing there,

"Get to the Chargers, get non-combatants to shelter." She commanded, already moving quickly to the gates to meet Cassandra, Cullen, and Josephine.

As she moved she heard a call of, "Stay safe!" from Krem as he presumably moved away to find the rest of the Chargers.

She went to the gates falling to a halt at the sight of the Inquisition's leaders in a state of panic.

"Under what banner?"Josephine was asking, when she approached.

"None." Cullen stated.

"None?!" Josephine exclaimed.

A sudden fire burst against the gate shook the wood.

Adalyn calculated that it couldn't have been from the army currently descending the mountain to get to them.

"If someone could open this, I'd appreciate it!" Called a voice from behind the gate.

Adalyn took a chance and despite protest, opened the gates. The view she came to when the doors opened was surprising to say the least: a mage half-crouched on the ground from exhaustion surrounded by dead (or unconscious) soldiers in Tevinter garb looked up at her.

Cullen rushed out with her to better assess the situation as the mage struggled to his feet, very out of breath.

"Ah," He gasped, "I came to warn you." He got himself standing, "Fashionably late, I'm afraid." He quipped, and then promptly fell over into Cullen's arms.

He struggled back out of the unintended embrace and muttered, "Might exhausted, don't mind me."

As he shook himself to gather his breath and self, Adalyn looked at Cullen and motioned for him to circle back to stand next to her and to leave the mage be.

"My name is Dorian Pavus, and I bring grave news from Redcliffe: an army of rebel mages right behind me. They are under the command of the Venatori, in service to something called, 'The Elder One'."

Dorian turned and pointed to the ledge of a far-off cliff.

"The woman is Calpernia. She commands the Venatori."

Even with Adalyn's good seaman eyes she could not make out more than a blurry figure in the distance, she did, however see the magic smoke materialize a new figure, towering taller than any person Adalyn had ever encountered.

"And that—The Elder One." Dorian said, "They are already marching on Haven. I risked my life to get here first."

"Cullen." Adalyn called to the Commander, "Give me a plan, anything you've got."

"Haven is not fortress," Cullen said grimly, "If we are to withstand this monster we must control the battle."

Adalyn thought back to her tactical lessons from the captain on how to trick another ship into running up on the reef or leading them into shallow waters. Control the playing field.

"Get out there and hit that force," He said, motioning to the massive trebuchet to her left, "Use everything you can." He said, drawing his sword.

"Soldiers!" He called to the men and women gathered behind him, "Gather the villagers! Fortify and watch for advanced forces! Inquisition, with the Herald! For your lives! For all of us!"

The soldiers cheered and drew their weapons as well, rallying behind Adalyn as she charged to stop the first advance of mages, her own kin.

* * *

The avalanches had ricocheted through the mountains, drowning the mages' army in icy spears.

But no sooner had they cried out in victory, a scaly shadow swooped over Haven and burned a good deal of the village before she signaled for the retreat to the Chantry.

She knew she should be more terrified, seeing the archdemon go by over head and screech like a dying dragon, she was in Fereldan during the Fifth Blight when she was nine. She saw the devastation, and the Darkspawn, and the horrors of the night… but now was not like that.

Purpose. I have a purpose. I must protect these people, as much as I can… I must…

She rushed past the Tavern, ripping through enemies left and right hoisting people to their feet, clearing rubble and other debris off them, kicking down doors to let workers out. All in a blur until…

 _No._

 _NO!_

She rushed to catch the apothecary in her arms as he fell from a blow to the back of the head. A death blow, no pulse, eyes blank and wide.

Purpose and Desire warred within her; she wanted to protect, she wanted to cry and break down and hideaway, she wanted to stand up and do what she can, she… she wanted to stab something.

With that, she promptly stabbed the murderer in the neck and whipped around to face the next, kicking him squarely in the chest, knocking him over into a keg of oil.

She summoned a small lick of flame and sent it flickering towards the oil before the mage she kicked in it or the woman beside him could react. They both went down screaming until their vocal chords popped and sizzled from the heat and eventually melted.

She wiped the hot tears away and followed Cassandra to the Chantry to regroup, falling through the gates just as that Chantry Brother collapsed onto Dorian, who supported him gently as he walked him inside.

"A brave man, he opposed a Venatori." Dorian said as he helped the man along.

"Briefly, I am no Templar." Brother Roderick wheezed.

"Herald!" Cullen hurried up to her, "Our position is not good. That dragon stole back any time you might have earned us. There has been no communications, no demands, only advance after advance."

Dorian had sat the Brother down in a chair before saying, "There is no bargaining with the mages, either. This Elder One takes what it wants."

"The mages were taken against their will?" Adalyn asked, "These are the mages from Redcliffe?"

"Yes. And it marched all this way to take your Herald." Dorian added.

"Then let them have me, and have them stop attacking." Adalyn said quickly.

"There is a way." Cullen said, thinking tactically, "If you turn the trebuchets on the mountain we might have a chance."

That was certain death. Suicide, even. Adalyn wouldn't let that be the answer.

"To bury the enemy is to bury Haven! We'd lose everyone." She snapped.

She noticed eyes on her; Maryden crouched a little ways away, tending to the wounded and watching her. Ser Barris, helping a scout to walk, stopped and turned. Solas, quietly watching by the door with his arms folded. She couldn't let them down. She couldn't let them die.

"Let's face it. The only choice we have right now is how spitefully we end this." Cullen said.

"Well," Dorian huffed, standing and moving closer to confront Cullen, "That's not acceptable! I didn't rush all the way here just to have you drop rocks on my head!"

"Should we submit?" Cullen countered, turning to glare at the mage.

"Dying is usually the last resort, not first." Dorian snapped. "For a Templar, you think like a blood-mage!"

Adalyn felt a sting of hurt; she had just readily volunteered to sacrifice herself. Maybe she wasn't different from other blood mages; maybe she was just like her mother after all… her abusive, insufferable, mad mother might be who she is turning into…

"There is a path," Brother Roderick suddenly rasped, stirring Adalyn from her dark train of thought.

"You wouldn't know that it was there unless you made the summer pilgrimage, as I have." The Brother struggled to say, "The people can escape." He got himself to his feet and said, "She must have shown me: Andraste."

He looked imploringly at Adalyn and repeated, "She must have shown me so could tell you. If this simple memory can save us… this could be more than mere accident… _you_ could be more."

"What about it, Cullen, will it work?" She turned to the Commander for advice.

"It should, if he shows us the path." Cullen affirmed, "But, what of your escape?"

Adalyn gave a voiceless and mirthless puff of laugher and said, "I'll do what blood-mages do best: throw some blood around until I bleed out. And what's more; I'm going in alone."

Cullen nodded grimly and called out, "If we are to have a chance, if you are to have a chance…. Let that thing hear you."

She nodded back, turned, and headed for the door, brushing off Cassandra and Solas' attempts to join her.

* * *

Flames and a deafening roar knocked her backwards, a ringing in her head and hammering at her skull.

She sat up and saw a figure engorged in flames striding towards her. The creature was a Darkspawn on closer inspection, and it eyes were as angry as the swelling flames around the hulking thing.

Behind her, the Archdemon crashed towards her, and stopped to roar at her and the sky, sending another ringing sensation to her brain.

"Enough," The Elder One commanded, "Pretender, you toy with forces beyond your kind, no more."

"Sounds like a typical Tuesday!" She snarked, reverting back to be a little like her old self, feeling Dazai stir somewhere deep within her mind.

"Foolish of you to laugh at what you barely understand. Know me; know what you have pretended to be." The Elder One said, "Exault The Elder One…. The will that is Corypheus." He hissed.

He raised a pointed claw to her and snarled, "You will kneel."

The last time someone told her that… _a strike across the face, tears, begging… empty bitter fury._

"I. WILL. NOT!" Adalyn snarled, hurling all she could muster, a mind attack, at him.

It was easily avoided, there was nothing in his mind but a deep, deep, deep, dark hunger for more and a—

She gasped and withdrew he attack, stumbling back until she could feel the dragon's rancid, moist breath down her neck.

"You cannot stop me. I am here for the anchor." He said, drawing out a marked orb from his robes. "And the process of removing it begins NOW."

He threw out his hand, throwing red sparks, the anchor reacted, flaring green and smarting in pain.

"It is your fault, Herald." Corypheus declared, "You interrupted a ritual years in the planning. And instead of dying you stole its purpose."

The mark crackled and shook, jerking around, almost leaving her hand.

"I don't know how you survived, but what marks you as touched, what you flail at rifts, I crafted to assault the very heavens."

His hand clenched around the orb and Adalyn let out a scream ad fell to the ground as her hand erupted in agonizing green fire.

"And you used the Anchor to undo my work; the gall." Corypheus spat contemptuously.

"Get. Used. To. It." Adalyn groaned, clutching her spasming hand.

"I will not, I cannot. I am above mortals. I will ascend to become your god."

Corypheus lunged down and grabbed her by her left arm and raised her up high, her legs left kicking far above the ground.

"I once Breached the Fade in the name of another. I found only chaos and corruption. For a thousand years I was confused, but no more. I have gathered the will to do so again with the will to do so in mo name but my own. I have championed with a Tevinter to cure this Blighted world. Pray that I succeed, for I have seen the throne of the gods; and it was empty."

He threw her against the trebuchet, her head knocking against the metal plates on the sides, her lungs losing their air and her legs numbing.

"The Anchor is permanent; you have spoilt it with your stumbling."

Adalyn summoned the will to stand and grabbed a forgotten sword that was lying on the trebuchet boards and held it up as steadily as she could. Her left should was most likely dislocated and her wrists already had some bruising.

 _Please; Dazai, Karris, Krem, Cassandra, Andraste… Give me strength._

"So be it. I will find another way to give this world the nation… and god, it deserves."

Out of the corner of her eye, Adalyn saw the signal flare light up the sky behind her.

 _They're safe._

And that was all that mattered.

"And you, I will not suffer even an unknowing rival. You must die." Corypheus snarled advancing closer with the archdemon.

Adalyn eyed the release trigger for the trebuchet and made her choice, standing up as tall as she could.

"Thanks to your rambling they got away. Now I might not be alive to face you, but they sure will, and I'm expecting them to beat the shit out of you, you lumpy sack of sea-sodden rat-puss!"

She kicked the lever, and jumped.

* * *

Thought I might start including recipes for all the alcoholic drinks I mention in the story, so here you go:

 **Bloody Mary:**

1 1/2 — 2 ounces vodka

4 ounces tomato juice

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco and black pepper to taste.

Pour over ice cubes and stir well. Garnish with a celery stalk. Serves 1.


	9. A Whistle and a Hawk

Everything had been a mess at Haven.

At first there had been a party, the Breach was finally sealed, the former Templars finally proud to be a part of the Inquisition as they danced hand-in-hand with scouts and mercenaries alike.

Krem had stood overlooking it all; watching the Chief pick up a group-full of giggling girls seated on a bench and swinging them around.

He saw Adalyn standing farther away at a different rail, she had looked pensive.

He has gone over to her without another thought and talked with her.

He had invited her to join the Chargers, to which she had replied, "I would like that."

He met her eyes after that and saw her lopsided, toothy grin and thought in the moment that he wanted nothing more than to pull her closer to him and kiss her.

He should have, but instead he looked away.

And then that Darkspawn attacked with his army of mages and demons, and Adalyn had blanched and her eyes had gone wild.

There was a sudden clouding-over in her eyes, and then she was calm.

Adalyn then turned to the troops and shouted, _"Protect the innocent or go to the gates!"_

When she stood against the mages at the gate she fought with ferocity that he had not seen from her yet. There was a fire in her eyes that he had never seen before. An iron-strength determination and a dominating presence that dwarfed even Commander Cullen's presence on the battlefield.

And doing as she said, he went to Bull and the Chargers and helped people take shelter in the Chantry.

When he had joined the fight at the gates he saw her surrounded by a halo of mage-fire, mouth opened in a snarling war cry, knives flashing and eyes dark with fury.

She had taken his breath away.

She had ordered the retreat shortly after that.

She had faced down that _fucking_ Darkspawn and his Arch-Demon dragon _alone_ and brought the whole damn mountain down on both herself and the enemy with a trebuchet.

And now she was gone; Haven was buried in a mountain's worth of snow and ice and debris.

He didn't know for how long he stood each one of those three days waiting slightly outside of camp, blowing the whistle she gave him, hoping that if she was alive she could find them again.

On the fourth day as he rose the coral whistle to his lips again a cry of "There! It's her!"

Cullen, Cassandra and a few Inquisition soldiers ran up the side of the hill through the snow.

"Thank the Maker!" Cassandra exclaimed, sounding tearful.

Krem found it hard to swallow when the soldiers brought back a body from the snow up the hill to the encampment.

It had to be Adalyn, even though her features were obscured in blood. She was, in fact, coated with it from head to toe. He hoped to Andraste it wasn't her own.

"We need healers! Now!" Cassandra called, taking Adalyn herself and carrying her to be closer to the fire.

A few mages scrambled to help, scraping together the last of the Elfroot salve and ripping apart bed-cloth for bandages.

Krem stood there numbly, just watching as other people tried to gather closer around her while Cassandra snarled at them to get back.

Bull came over to him, "You okay?"

Krem took in a shuddering breath, "She's alive."

"Yeah. Blood mages. Hard to kill. Good thing came of her being one, after all." Bull said, putting an arm around Krem's shoulders and giving his a slight shake. "She'll live. Maybe she'll need an eyepatch, but she'll live."

Krem blinked tears back and aggressively inhaled the runny mucus attempting to escape his nose.

"Then she'd be matching you, Chief." Krem laughed weakly, punching his boss' stomach with as much weak force as he could muster.

"Yeah, and between us we'd have two eyes." The Iron Bull punched Krem back fondly, "Don't worry your pretty little head about it, 'Vint."

"You Bastard." Krem muttered as Bull walked away, and looked back over at Adalyn laid out by the fire on a makeshift bench surrounded by the healers and leaders of the Inquisition, all talking amongst themselves.

This would be a long night.

* * *

When Adalyn awoke, she had gone off with Cassandra to clean all the blood off of her. When she came back, Krem noticed that her hair, now clean, had lost most of its length. It was now a little below her chin in most places and still bearing longer patches that reached her mid back that were not yet shorn off.

It didn't look terrible, but her body did. The healers had done their best, but with all the blood cleaned off, the wounds were all the more obvious. Her right arm was wrapped tight in bandages, her left leg as well, and her left side had a significant patch of blood leaking through the bandaging.

Krem knew how that must feel. They also had no painkillers; the pain had to be horrible.

As he began to feel helpless again since her return, the Spymaster, Chief Ambassador, and the Commander were all in a heated argument about where to go from here.

Krem had watched their arguments grow more heated every minute Adalyn wasn't there. It was almost as if she had a calming effect on them.

She strode into the center of the camp after speaking quietly with the Chantry Mother Giselle, her face placid and her presence just as commanding as the air she held during battle.

"Cullen, Josephine, Lilliana, this is not the time to stand divided." She said her voice even, hinting at otherworldly. She was defiantly not her usual self anymore. Whoever Adalyn was before, she seemed like a godly stranger now.

Krem did not believe that the Bride of the Maker, Andraste herself had chosen Adalyn to be her prophet; he had believed that luck had put a cheerful girl at the center of all of this chaos. But now he was starting to think otherwise, after seeing her fight at Haven with what seemed like the Maker's wrath pouring out of her. And now, seeing her stand in the canter of camp, calming everyone's nerves with a few words and an air that could only be explained as holy.

It was as if everyone felt it in their hearts as well, and once the Chantry Mother began singing, it built into a force that no one could stop.

At the end of the faith-inspired song, everyone began to feel hope again, even those who did not sing began to laugh.

Krem noticed that Solas had pulled Adalyn aside outside of camp.

Whatever she was before, she was definitely out of his reach now.

He turned away and headed back to where the Chargers had consolidated. Skinner and Dalish were seated together on a dead log, Dalish's face buried in Skinner's shoulder. Rocky glumly struck flint and iron together, creating sparks and lighting their own little bundle of dry wood.

Bull was standing with them, his arms crossed and his head shaking.

"She's some other kind of shit," Bull rumbled under his breath.

Krem nodded numbly and sat down across from Dalish and Skinner on a hollow log.

Bull heaved himself down next to Krem, splitting a good deal of the rotting wood in the process with his weight.

They sat there for a while, not really talking. Just sitting with their backs to the Inquisition and warming their hands by Rocky's fire.

A little while later, the talking in the camp behind him grew louder.

And footsteps were heard crunching in the snow behind them.

"Commander The Iron Bull and Lieutenant Aclassi, a moment, if you would." Her soft voice came from couple feet behind them and it was all he could do to not fall off the log from the feeling of electricity running up his spine at the sound of her voice.

He did, however, scramble to his feet with Bull and followed Adalyn to the center of camp where the Inquisition Leaders stood around a makeshift table and map.

"I know relatively where we are." Adalyn announced to the gathering as she stepped near the table.

"We have been lost for days, how do you know?" Cassandra asked.

Adalyn gave a small smile and held out a bandaged arm; a few moments later a bird of prey landed on it and sank it's talons into her still-closing wounds, drawing blood. It looked painful, but Adalyn didn't even flinch as she continued speaking.

"I used blood magic to enchant this hawk. I can see though its eyes and had it do some scouting for me from the sky."

"Blood magic can…?" Liliana started to ask, trailed off, and shook the idea from her head for the sake of time.

"Yes. Now." Adalyn started again, "Solas and I were talking. He knows of a place where we can take refuge and grow."

"Where is it, and how long would it take to get there?"Commander Cullen asked, ever the planner.

"And we have many wounded and also many unequipped to fight; diplomats, workers…" Josephine listed, clutching nervously at her splintered writing board.

Krem watched Adalyn draw in a deep breath and say, "This is why I asked the Commander and his Lieutenant to take part in this meeting."

She turned to him and gave him an almost sad smile, "Without him, I would not even be here right now."

Krem could feel his eye widen in shock; she had heard the whistle's call!

She turned back to the leaders, "And without them, many more of these innocent people could die before we make it to Skyhold."

"I, firstly, must apologize to you and your company, Iron Bull." Adalyn addressed Bull formally with a smooth turn and nod. Krem wondered if she was ever a diplomat or a bard before she was a pirate.

"The contract should have been broken by such an attack and yet you are here stranded with us. I understand you lost a few of your company at Haven. You-" She broke off, her calm façade wavering for a moment as her voice broke.

"You have my sympathy." She finished, clearing her throat. "And yet I must ask one more thing of you and your company before considering a contract break."

"I'm listening," Bull prompted with his arms folded and an eyebrow raised inquisitively.

"Take our most wounded, our workers, and our diplomats, and guard them and help them heal and gather food until they reach Redcliffe. The journey is approximately two weeks if you follow this hawk there."

"Is it… tame?" Josephine asked, eyeing the bird suspiciously.

"Only to the Lieutenant here." Adalyn answered, turning to look at him.

"He is the only one this bird will listen to. He has a whistle that I made that can control it."

Bull sent a private glare down at Krem that he could tell meant,

 _Blood magic, Krem?! Really?_

"The hawk will show you a way to get there faster than we will reach Skyhold. It will take eleven days." Adalyn added, addressing Krem once more.

"Will you help me?" She asked, her voice lower, her tone hinting breaking way again to something more vulnerable, more human.

"Of course, just give the word, Your Worship." He said formally. Bull nodded beside him in agreement.

She gave him an almost invisible whisper of a smile and turned back to the leaders.

"With your permission as well, I would like to lead the main group to Skyhold. Solas has shown me the way through magic."

"How long will it take to reach this 'Skyhold'?" Asked Seeker Pentaghast.

"Twenty days." Adalyn said with no hesitation.

"How do you know?" Questioned Liliana, cocking her head to the side curiously, her vision slightly tined on the hawk that now seemed eager to hop onto Krem's shoulder.

"It's a feeling I have, you will just have to trust me."

"Putting our lives in the hands of mages… again," Cullen muttered, rubbing a hand across his tired face. "And yet… I will follow where you lead."

"You have my trust as well." Seeker Pentaghast concurred.

Josephine turned to smile cordially at Krem, "I suppose this means we must become better acquainted, Lieutenant. I will gather my diplomats and tell Mother Giselle to bring the wounded."

He nodded politely and smiled, "And I will see the Chargers ready to depart."

Bull stepped up to Adalyn, "You need a bodyguard or a Commander?"

Adalyn seemed to think carefully then said, "Commander. Look out for your men. Lieutenant Aclassi will know where to go, but you are still needed there to help lead."

Bull nodded and grinned, "You got it, Boss."

"Some of your Chargers will be there already when you get there."

 _The stealth mission sent to scout Redcliffe,_

Krem remembered.

"Oh," Adalyn stopped herself before she moved away to say one last thing to Bull, "If you meet a Tal-Vashoth asking about me, don't kill him."

As she began to walk away she motioned for him to follow her. He did so, eyeing the Hawk that was busy preening on her shoulder.

She stopped once they were away from the majority of the group and turned to face him.

"There is one more thing." She began, looking calm.

"Yes?" He asked nervously, her drawing him away meant she wanted to tell him something she didn't even want Bull to hear. That could be bad news.

"It's one thing to use blood magic on animals, quite another to conduct on a person. There is a social stigma that surrounds it." She said mildly, pulling out her favorite dagger from her waistband.

Alarm bells were defiantly ringing now.

"I need a way to talk to you and hear updates in real time. We have no other way to communicate, no messenger birds, no scouts, and no friendly Free Marches post –boy. But I do have blood magic. All I would need is to mix my blood with yours, just a little, nothing much, and you will be able to reach out mentally and speak with me, and I you."

Krem gaped, "We can? With…"

"Yes, now I need you to agree. I won't hold it against you if you choose not to." Adalyn said, sighing, "Contrary to popular belief, I don't enchant my allies without their consent."

Relief flooded his mind; all it was is a little mixed blood and a way to contact each other.

Or was it something more…? Blood magic was a topic too rarely talked about in a positive light. And blood mages…

 _No. This is Adalyn, why would she hurt you?_

He stripped the armored glove from his hand and held the palm out towards her.

"I'm ready."

Adalyn nodded, her expression betraying no hint of emotion.

Her hand came to gently cup his and the dagger came to rest on his palm. Then she pressed the edge into his skin, cutting a thin curve.

With her teeth she tugged off some bandages covering her right arm, she brought the arm closer and seared come of her still-clotting blood over the wound.

"Waste not, want not." Adalyn darkly quipped.

 _Well, that's one way to do it._

"Alright, now to see if it works," She said, Sheathing her dagger after wiping it off on her pants.

 _Is anybody home?_

Her voice called through his other thoughts suddenly. He scrambled to respond.

 _YES, I CAN HEAR YOU._

He forcefully thought back at her, hoping he was able to communicate back. Form her cringe, it must have worked.

"You don't have to shout." She chided.

"Ah," He muttered.

"And you won't have to worry about me looking into your head, that's not how this works. Also, expect to eventually lose contact with me after maximum a month and a half."

 _She's all professional now… I guess that's how it will be from now on. I miss her trying to tackle me._

"Why?" He asked.

"Because after about a month and a half, the way my blood cells are, being so few and considering your circulation… Your current blood cells will be replaced soon anyway."

"Oh,"

He had no idea what she was talking about, but he thought he heard Stitches lecture him about something similar in the past when he had wanted to get back in action the day after losing quite a bit of blood.


	10. Finding Skyhold

She had defiantly felt different when Haven was attacked. It was like a shifting of gears in Varric's crossbow, she felt like herself but different somehow. Like another person inhabited the same body and said and done all the actions as she had.

Even after Haven, when she only blindly followed the sound of her whistle through the cutting wind, she felt a presence unlike her own and Dazai's that lingered in her mind and then acted again when giving the Inquisition their orders. She realized on some subconscious level that it must have been the only force keeping her alive.

The presence, when the sun had dawned on the fifth day since the attack at Haven after she had given some of her blood to Krem, fled, leaving her very woozy and incredibly nauseous.

She had asked Dazai if he had done anything to her during the attack on Haven but he had replied with,

 _No, that wasn't me. But I can't say any more, I just can't._

He clammed up after that and would not speak to her for hours on end during the trek to Skyhold, and that was highly frustrating because no one else would talk to her without first adverting their eyes and mumbling, _'Your Worship'_. And none of them said it the way Krem did; it just sounded stale coming from their mouths.

She could feel the link between her and her hawk wax and wane with distance, and she could also feel whenever a tasty mouse appeared in the bird's line of vision, making her even more prone to heaving up the contents of her stomach.

She couldn't feel how far Krem was, or what he was feeling, that wasn't the goal of the connection. But sometimes she wished she had established an empathy link too.

Adalyn shook her head to clear her thoughts, she had to focus on the people she was responsible for the meantime.

The survivors had worked really hard to hunt for fresh game and edible plants, roots, and berries to help sustain everyone's health, and she felt guilty every time she came close to or actually regurgitated their hard-won food over nothing but her own nerves and a bad menstrual cycle.

She tried to keep communication between her and Krem minimal, hoping that he would not regret the mind connection they now shared.

She checked in with him every evening and every morning, receiving news of Josephine and her diplomats as well as reports on the wounded soldiers' health. He would never mention them, but she would always ask after the Chargers. He would say they all were fine, and thank her for asking. Then they would cut off the connection.

She hoped that they found Redcliffe soon and that Solas was right that she wasn't leading all these men and women to their deaths.

They had already had to burn the bodies of two scouts and three soldiers, everyone's outlook was becoming grimmer by the day, and yet they still looked to her for direction.

She often felt lost herself, like she was sinking down under icy waves in a storm-tossed sea. How could she help them when even she didn't know where to go? She shared her innermost fears with no one.

Her breaking point came the day she first laid eyes on Skyhold.

Solas had lead her up a rocky incline to gaze at it from the other side of a mountain. They spoke with the scouts and discovered there was no way down to the path that lead there other than a cave tunnel with a gentle downwards slope that went directly through the mountain.

She gave the order to go through, mages leading with their magical lights along with the scouts, and torch-bearers sprinkled with the rest of the line behind.

It was a slow and dark journey that Sera and Varric complained smelled of dank and nug shit.

The wind wasn't howling through the tunnel, and the troops were less cold, Adalyn counted her blessings when she could.

Things seemed to be blissfully uneventful until their beast of burden, a wild nugalope, stepped down on a stalagmite, impaling its foot and sending out an unearthly shriek.

The sudden jarring noise and the smell of fresh blood caused Adalyn to finally break her calm façade.

She had to get out.

She stumbled and ran out of the last length of the tunnel and collapsed on a windy outcrop of rock by the exit of the tunnel.

She threw up and lost the energy to do anything more but sit up and rest her back against the wall. Tears welled up and spilled over, fogging up her vision and choking her breath.

She was already dehydrated; the tears would make it worse. She didn't care.

She needed to hear someone talk, anyone. Of anything but this. And Dazai wasn't talking to her at all these days, so she reached out to someone else.

 _Krem._

An immediate response came,

 _Adalyn. You sound … what's wrong?_

He could tell, of course he could tell. And this also was the first time in days he hadn't called her 'Your Worship'.

 _Nothing. It's just, I'm feeling overwhelmed by what these people need of me—I don't…_

She struggled to pull herself together, her lips quivered involuntarily and she dug through her pack to pull out the only piece of fabric blood had not touched that was on her person at Haven; the handkerchief.

She blew her nose in it and used the edges to wipe her tears away.

 _What can I do to help?_

Krem asked gently.

Adalyn curled closer to the wall and swallowed mucus and bile down.

 _Tell me something good._

 _Anything?_

He inquired.

 _Anything._

She parroted, waiting in the pause that followed for the sound of his voice: her current lifeline.

 _The Chief and I were in Val Royeaux for a job a year back or so. Nothing special, just looking tough for some Orlisian noble at a dinner party. We were off in the morning and early afternoon to do as we pleased in the city. Well, the rest of the Chargers scattered like rats, but Bull and I stuck together and found this candied nut seller… Bull was curious, so he got a bag of them and shared them with me. Sat on a bench, eating, and then from out of nowhere;_ squirrels _!_

Adalyn giggled wetly into the kerchief and felt her heart become a little lighter.

 _What did the squirrels do?_

She asked.

 _They ran up Chief's horns and stayed there even as he tried to shake 'em off. They looked like little furry flags waving in the wind, and I thought it was pretty funny. At least until I took one to the face._

 _Oh, you did_ not _._

She laughed out loud, picturing the airborne squirrels and sent her customary snort through her thoughts to Krem, who opted to continue elaborating.

 _I did too! I've got a scar from that squirrel._

 _No. The one on your eyebrow?_

She asked unbelievingly.

 _No. Not that one. The squirrel gave me a thin long scratch on the side of my head as it sprung off._

 _The next time I catch a girl mooning over you and calling your scars dashing I will know that the better half of them are probably from squirrels._

Adalyn teased.

The red-tailed hawk spotted a squirrel in real-time and sent a helpful view of what it saw to contribute to the conversation.

 _On that note, I think it would be best if we said goodbye for today. Thank you, Krem._

There was a beat of silence in her head and she felt like he wanted to say something important, but he too said,

 _Good night to you, Your Worship. Until tomorrow._

 _Until tomorrow._

She echoed, and felt the connection cut off.

"Herald?"

She turned quickly to find Cassandra staring at her, looking slightly flustered to see her in a state of disarray.

She was about to stand when Cassandra knelt beside her and put a caring hand on hers,

"We—we are all here for you, you know." She said carefully, seeming to struggle with what words to say.

"Of course. And thank you." Adalyn said through a gritted smile,

"What happened to the nugalope?" She queried.

Cassandra let go of her hand and glanced back at the tunnel.

"We were forced to put it out of its misery. The wound was too detrimental to time and the burden it was pulling was dismantled and sorted into what we can take and what we can leave."

Adalyn nodded and held out a hand, "A little help standing up?"

Cassandra obliged, standing first and then helping her to her feet. As they walked back to the tunnel to see the rest of the Inquisition through the last couple feet of cave, Cassandra spoke again.

"You have been holding together very well, the soldiers needed that." She looked at her with respect, a look she was not used to receiving.

"But if you need anyone to lean on, do not hesitate to ask Cullen, Lilliana, or myself. We are here for you, Herald."

Her offer was heartwarming, but she had no more need at the moment for moral support. She needed to get these people to Skyhold before sundown.

She could do this.


	11. A Reunion

He guessed that the giant stone fortress in the center of the mountains directly where Adalyn said it would be had to be Skyhold.

Krem led a larger group now than he had before after Haven was destroyed.

The wounded soldiers and some of the Chantry sisters had peeled off from the group to seek aid at Redcliffe, and a few of the frost-worn diplomat aides that Josephine employed had opted to stay in civilization.

The main reason why the entourage behind him was so large was because rumors had spread of Haven's fall, and the Herald's miracle survival. Many of the faithful hopped on the bandwagon, hoping to meet the Herald of Andraste.

The group approached the main gate, which was closed, and came to a halt before it.

 _After Haven, no wonder it's closed._

Krem thought as Bull stepped up beside him, cupping his hands to his mouth and bellowing,

"OPEN THE GATE; IT'S THE CHARGERS AND COMPANY."

A guard on the top of the wall poked her head over the edge and called down,

"We know, we saw you coming, we're working on it."

No sooner had she spoken when the gate began to lower and they all could file into the courtyard.

Krem immediately pulled himself and the Chargers to the side as the crowd flooded in behind them.

Bull surveyed the courtyard with his elevated perspective, scanning the crowd with his hand shading his eyes.

"She's helping the wounded." Bull noted.

Krem nodded unhurriedly, but secretly he felt increasingly impatient to see how she was.

He knew she wasn't perfect: she was someone who put the needs of the many before her own, she can't sing sweetly like a Bard or a Chantry Sister, she was insecure about her height, she drank booze too quickly to be good for her, Maker, she was even a blood mage. But that didn't make her any less worthy of someone looking out for her for _her_ sake, not just because she was the Herald of Andraste.

After a little while, watching the reunions between Inquisition recruits, the healers scrambling for more elfroot, and the Chantry officials file into a semi-orderly puddle, Krem decided to try and find Adalyn.

He took a step towards the tents the healers propped up in the courtyard and turned to look at Bull when the Qunari gave him a shout of,

"Krem! She's at the center of the funny hats!"

Krem turned to look at the small crowd of ministers, pilgrims, and Chantry Sisters. The muddle parted finally to form some sort of order; someone would approach and reverently bend to one knee, kissing Adalyn's hand like she was some sort of messenger of the Makers Bride.

She looked thinner and more tired than he had ever seen her, her hair looked like she hadn't washed in a couple of days and the dark marks under her eyes were a given. And yet she still glowed with all the gentle radiance of Andraste's grace.

The scene made for a pretty portrait.

He briefly wondered if anyone was painting this right now.

He looked to the right.

Yeah, there was a painter already set up with an easel, sketching the moment in charcoal with his right hand while furiously mixing paint with his left, and holding a paintbrush in between his mouth.

 _Of course there's a painter._

Rather than ruin the scene, he just stood off to the side and watched her speak softly to the attendants around her.

Soon, he began the feel the hot breath on the top of his head, and saw the looming shadow cast on the ground ahead of him.

"KREEEEEEEM." The Iron Bull boomed.

He had little time to prepare before he got the boot to the literal ass, sending him stumbling forward until he tripped his way to fall at Adalyn's feet.

He snapped to awareness and looked up quickly, a greeting and an excuse rambling from his mouth at once.

And, oh, she looked so glad to see him.

"Krem," She murmured softly, bringing her hands to feel the lines of his face and smiling in relief.

Krem stood up slowly as she bent down to meet him midway, and then they were crouching with their arms flung about each other in an awkward embrace. Well, with him doing most of the hugging, and her mostly just sagging against him.

It occurred to him that she probably needed sleep more than people right now. He shuffled his feet a little and moved his arms to pick her up in his arms.

"What are you…"She began, but never finished the thought, slipping off into sleep, her head on his shoulder.

"If you would excuse us, the Herald has seen more than enough of people for today, and needs to catch up on her sleep. Good day." He said formally to the gathering, giving a half-bow so as not to have Adalyn spill over his arms.

Krem then marched away from the murmuring crowd and the cursing painter (something about ruining the portrait of the century), and wandered over to where the healers were and inquired to where Adalyn's sleeping quarters were situated.

According to the healer, Adalyn never used the bed they had set up for her, and instead slept in a hammock tied to a rickety beam of wood and a tree branch right near the wounded so she could be roused in an emergency.

Krem asked where the actual bed was, and was answered with a point in what he hoped was the right direction.

He headed up the stairs and turned right, heading for the wooden construction, just beginning to be built and received further directions from an guard that her room was on the other side of Skyhold in a cleared out room above what would become the garden. He thanked them and moved on, finally coming to a stop before the door standing on the alcove above the muddy, deserted garden.

He awkwardly turned on of his arms so he could unlock the bloody thing and almost had Adalyn fall out of his arms in the process. He managed to get the door open and kicked it closed behind him, surveying the bare room, which contained a single cot and herbs strung up to dry from string attached to the ceiling.

He lay her carefully down on the cot and tugged the thin blanket at the base over her lower half after stripping off her shoes and placing them carefully by the foot of the bed. The chill of winter was still in the spring air in most places, but not here. That didn't mean she didn't still need the blanket.

Krem found himself smoothing the covers out and brushing away some of the short hair that had fallen into Adalyn's face.

Suddenly her right leg fell off the edge of the bed and hung there, outside of the covers.

Krem bent down, grabbed her ankle, and put it back onto the bed and under the sheets.

Her leg fell out again.

He sighed, repeating the motion of stuffing her wayward limb back onto the bed… where it promptly fell off again.

He sighed and resigned himself to letting her leg fall where it may.

"Behind the radiant light. Dark, emptiness. The people, they help her burn brighter. But alone she has nothing, she is nothing. Scratching biting empty darkness on the inside, twisting and turning and all things shaking, the taste of the sea."

The voice that came from nowhere startled Krem; he stood bolt upright and looked around for the source.

"I'm Cole. I have been watching her." The same voice spoke again. "I watch."

Suddenly, a pale young man appeared out of the wall from a cloud of black fog. His features were obscured by his shaggy blond hair and his shoulders were hunched over.

"Are you a mage?" Krem asked, still startled from how the young man appeared from out of nowhere.

'Cole' shook his head and reached a hand out to Adalyn's face,

Krem tensed, but did not move to stop him.

Cole lightly stroked a gentle finger to the curve of her cheek then retracted his hand, moving it to hers. He stuffed something in between her fingers and backed away.

"She thought she lost it. She was working herself up into a tangle inside over it."

Cole then disappeared then way he came, leaving Krem feeling curious, but with the impression he wouldn't remember anything about Cole later.

Krem moved closer and saw the piece of fabric she held in her curled fingers; the pink floral pattern cut into the shape of a flower stitched onto the handkerchief that she held was miraculously unstained by blood.

 _She was upset over losing this…?_

Adalyn turned over in her sleep onto her stomach, facing away from him. A muffled snort that sounded suspiciously like the beginnings of snoring came from her direction.

 _And she snores. Of course she does._

Krem was fairly certain he didn't snore. But all the Chargers had weird sleeping habits he was forced to get used to: Dalish is a sleep-mumbler, Skinner sometimes sharpens knives in her sleep; Rocky has been known to crush people by rolling over them, and Bull. Oh, Bull. He snores. Loud.

Krem knew that Bull just did it to annoy him, not because he actually snores. Ben-Hassarath training to stealth-sleep or something. Bull could sleep really quietly… when he wanted to. Which was never.

Krem also had the privilege of discovering (on the journey to Redcliffe with the wounded and diplomats) that Lady Josephine Montilyet snores delicately in her sleep and is accustomed to sleeping with a night-mask on.

Still, even when Josephine had snored, it wasn't as… well, the only word for it was _endearing_.

He had it pretty bad; and he knew it.

But where to go from here?

He had hoped after the Breach was closed he could tell her his feelings, but he had hesitated, not wanting to rush anything. In this blunder he missed his chance.

He had hoped she would come back from the devastation at Haven; she had, but as a holy savior of the people. He couldn't touch her.

Now...He knew he still wanted to reach out and… he didn't know… tell her?

' _She deserves better.'_

Some part of him said.

' _She might settle for you, but do you think she'll be happy with you being what you are?'_

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to shut out all of the anxieties crowding in his head and chest.

There had been another girl, a few years ago. He had been in the fledgling mercenary company Bull's Chargers for almost a year then.

She had caught his eye, she was looking at him; and then she smiled and blushed and turned away.

They talked a few times after that; a typical conversation had went,

" _Back from a job?"_

" _Yeah, real rough one too."_

" _Can I get you something?"_

" _Just some drinks for me and the boys, thanks."_

This had continued for around two months before he had blurted out that he thought she was lovely.

She had smiled and batted her eyelashes, and taken him behind the tavern for a kiss. Well, maybe she had intended on doing more than kissing, when she got his shirt off... the look was one of blank-faced disappointment to red-cheeked anger to bitter words spat in his face.

It had taken him a while to adjust to being open with anyone and Bull helped him a lot during that year of insecurity, but the fear of a rejection like that again one not made of,

" _I don't like you that way,"_

But,

" _I don't like what you are. It's disgusting."_

He gathered a breath and glanced once more at Adalyn sleeping with her bum up in the air now and an arm thrown over her head and her snores in full throttle.

He knew Adalyn better than he knew that girl, that's for sure. And that's why, he thought;

 _She can do better._

* * *

 **Heya, guys! I need some decisions to be made! Review or send me a message with your opinion on these three matters:**

 **1\. What three companions should Adalyn take to the Winter Palace?**

 **2\. Who should she choose: Celene, Gaspard, or Briala undermining either?**

 **3\. Am I writing Krem and Cole well? Those are the two characters I am most worried about misrepresenting!**

 **I hope to hear from you soon and thank you for your continued support!**

 **S.T.**


	12. The Inquisitor

When Adalyn woke up she had a lock of hair in her mouth. She spat it out and rolled out of the bed.

 _How did I get here?_

She wondered groggily. Her mouth felt disgustingly dry.

 _That 'Krem' carried you here._

She noticed something balled up and sweaty in her right hand. She looked down at it and found her handkerchief wadded up between her fingers.

"I thought I lost this."

 _Well, clearly you didn't!_

Dazai huffed.

 _Hey, you're talking to me again!_

Adalyn never felt so happy to hear his voice in her head.

 _Yes, I'm back, be grateful._

He snapped back.

She smiled outwardly and thought,

 _Things are starting to look up, aren't they? We have a castle now, the Chantry seems to have stopped hating me, and now Krem is here._

She sighed happily, casting herself back onto the bed with a thud and staying there a moment before catching a whiff of her body odor.

"I need to bathe." She said, standing up and cracking her back.

She reached up and snagged a few dried herbs from the tangled strings hanging from the ceiling. She had set this up here to provide storable healing herbs and herbal tea, but she knew it would work just as well to scent the well-water down in the garden to make her smell a little less like muddy water and blood. She also pawed through a small satchel under the cot to pull out a small nub of soap for her hair.

She traipsed down to the lonely well standing in the center of the garden without her shoes on and drew a bucket of water. She set the bucket on the edge of the well and dropped the herbs in. Then she pulled off her shirt and pulled down her pants, jumping to get out of them.

She wadded up her clothes and put them on a more or less clean stone nearby. Once that was taken care of, she began washing up as best as she could, and took a little piece of the soap to wash the sweat and oil out of her hair.

"AH!"

A startled cry came from the balcony near her room.

Adalyn stopped washing and looked up at where Cassandra stood at the railing, covering her eyes with a hand,

"Forgive me; I did not know you were bathing." Cassandra said, clearing her throat.

Adalyn grinned up at her and laughed, "Cassandra, we bathed all the time next to each other in the Hinterlands! You've seen me naked before!"

"Yes. I know. But still-" Cassandra said haltingly, "You deserve privacy."

"Cassandra, I'm standing without a stitch of clothing in the middle of the garden. If I wanted privacy I would have gone into the mountains.

And, maybe I forgot to mention, privacy isn't exactly something we had back on _The Demon's Gale_. I bathed in tubs once a month with everybody else below deck. Everyone. Well, except the Captain, he was particular. Believe you me when I say I don't need privacy to bathe anymore."

Cassandra got over her blushing and went down to the garden.

Adalyn finished up by drawing another bucket and dumping it all over herself before shaking as much of the water as she could off of herself. She was handed her clothes by Cassandra and she got dressed.

"Would you walk with me?" Cassandra asked once the shirt was over Adalyn's head.

"Sure." Adalyn said with a casual shrug and tagged along behind the Seeker as she led her up the stairs and across the battlements.

"You have been asleep for three days; I thought you might like something to eat." Cassandra said, taking her down the stairs, across the courtyard, and to what they had set up as the kitchens at Skyhold.

Adalyn got halfway up the stars before her mouth began watering and her eyes began to fill up with tears.

It smelled like goat curry.

She entered the kitchen first, followed by Cassandra, and saw someone who she never expected to see again,

"Rina!" Adalyn flung herself at the Rivani lady and clung as tight as she could.

"Ah, Adaleen!" Rina exclaimed in a heavy Rivain accent, wrapping her arms around Adalyn.

"She said she knew you, she arrived yesterday." Cassandra added, still standing in the doorway.

"How have you been? You had your baby, how did it go?" Adalyn asked in a whirlwind of excitement.

Rina laughed and held Adalyn back at an arm's length to look at her, "I had Nirmala about a year ago. She is a very lively girl."

"Oh, how sweet!" Adalyn beamed, contrary to popular belief of all those who knew her: she loved children. Already she was planning on how to steal Nirmala away from Rina.

Rina smiled and gestured for Adalyn to sit down and eat

Cassandra was gone, she had more important matters to attend to, Adalyn supposed.

She shoveled rice and curry to her face, relishing over the spice that made her nose burn out. Rina set down a glass of goat milk in front of her as well. Adalyn raised the glass and took a long swig. This was living.

"I came here to be a cook's helper for your Inquiizition." Rina mentioned, going to work on some other kitchen task,

 _Oh, she's staying? Thank Andraste!_

Adalyn crowed internally.

"I came here with my daughter and Lockflint."

Adalyn began choking surprise; Rina began pounding her on the back. Her arms were surprisingly strong as Rina was the most willowy thin person that she knew.

"Lock's here?" Adalyn said, once she had cleared the curry from her throat.

"Yes," Rina nodded, "He is not staying for long. Just to see you."

This was bad…. There was a good one or two things that she knew The Iron Bull was bound to notice!

Adalyn put down the spoon and looked Rina dead in the eyes,

"And where is Lockflint, exactly?"

"Right here."

Adalyn spun around on the bench and saw the hulking Tal-Vasshoth come through the other door to the kitchen.

She stood hastily and straightened up her appearance as best as she could. He used to be the quartermaster, in charge of regulating where you slept, when you ate, what you ate, and how much you were paid. And he always expected tidiness.

"Adalyn," He said in greeting, "You've done well for yourself."

"Seems so," She said ambiguously, "So, if you're away from the ship… something must be wrong."

The quartermaster shook his head and drew a locked case with a handle from around the corner of the door,

"The Captain and the old lady were worried about you, and I finally finished that piece."

Adalyn's eyes widened, "' _That_ piece'… you mean-!"

Lockflint offered her a rare smile and cracked the case open and sent it on the table. He opened it and Adalyn pressed close to get a better look. He paused and turned a glare at her,

"Back up."

"Sorry! Sorry!" Adalyn threw up her hands and scooted back.

He finished opening it, and there in the case lay an odd-shaped metal and wood small-club looking thing.

"I call it the 'Flintlock Pistol', it doesn't aim well over long distances, and when the powder gets wet it's useless, but other than that it seems to work fine." He said, pulling out the weapon and placing it in her hand. The smooth cool of the polished wood felt good in her palm.

"'Flintlock'? You named it after yourself after switching part of your name around?"

"Now remember, you never want to be on the other side of the pistol. Just point and shoot. To shoot, you pull the trigger." Lockflint interjected.

Adalyn looked down the length of it and aimed at an empty bottle on a shelf about seven feet away from where she was standing.

"Can I try?"

"Go ahead, but only if you are ready to clean up the glass."

She shot, and the glass shattered. Mesmerized, she blew the smoke from the end of the pistol.

 _Ahhh! This is so awesome!_

She thought giddily, wanting nothing more than to dance around.

"You will need it more than any of us back home."

Adalyn turned to smile at him wholeheartedly, "Thank you,"

This was met by a tired sigh and a lesson on how to reload it.

Half an hour later they said goodbye, Adalyn heading out of the kitchen with a full stomach and a pistol strapped to her hip.

This day just couldn't get any better!

She saw Cassandra, Josephine, Liliana, and Cullen all gathered near the foot of the kitchen steps, talking quietly. When they saw her, secretive smiles spread on their faces. Cullen, Josephine, and Liliana moved away; Josephine gave her a cheerful wave.

Adalyn waved back and joined Cassandra, who looked like she wanted to speak with Adalyn.

Cassandra looked to the side at the people gathered in the courtyard, many new faces stood all round reuniting with loved ones, surveying the battlements, or greeting new people.

"They arrive daily from every settlement in the region. Skyhold is becoming a pilgrimage." Cassandra said, meeting Adalyn's eyes and backing away, continuing to talk.

"If word has reached these people, it will have reached The Elder One. We have the walls and numbers to put up a fight here, but this threat is far beyond the one we anticipated."

Adalyn followed Cassandra up the stairs to the upper level of the courtyard as she spoke.

"But we know what allowed you to stand against Corypheus, what drew him to you."

Adalyn looked at the mark on her hand, "He came for this, and now it's useless to him, so now he wants me dead. That's it."

' _A key to assault the very heavens', my ass!_

Cassandra stopped momentarily, "The _anchor_ has power, but that is not why you are still standing here."

She resumed walking; taking her around the corner of a building, Adalyn briefly wondered where the Seeker was taking her now.

" _Your_ decisions let us heal the sky. _Your_ determination brought us out of Haven. You are the creature's rival because of what _you_ did. And we know it. All of us."

 _Wait a second… is she giving a speech? For what?_

Adalyn wondered to herself, following Cassandra up the final set of stairs to the platform midway up.

Liliana stood on the landing holding a glittering ornamental sword; with her head bowed she began walking towards them.

"The Inquisition requires a leader; the one who has _already_ been leading it."

It was then that Adalyn realized they meant her. The entire Inquisition was gathered in the courtyard below, watching.

In that moment the feeling of terror gripped her internally. She could almost feel her younger self looking out through her eyes at the crowd and wanting to shrink away.

"You." Cassandra finished, coming to stand behind her.

 _Why me? I'm a neglected child, a good-for-nothing throat-cutter, a former slave, and a blood mage; I haven't been a single thing worth being in my life. I'm even a fake puppet of Andraste. I'm not even worth my damned weight in rat shit!_

 _Think better of yourself! Dear Heart! You saved them back at Haven; they owe you their lives!_

Dazai said encouragingly.

 _Well, that didn't feel like me, alright! I just… don't know why…_

 _They have hope because of you, I feel it. They want you to lead, Addie._

 _Stupid Desire demon, how could they ever want a blood mage as their leader?_

She mumbled internally.

"Perhaps I didn't hear you correctly. A blood mage at the head of the Inquisition?" Adalyn questioned, turning to look at Cassandra.

"Not a blood mage. _You_." Cassandra designated.

Adalyn cocked her head to the side and said the obvious, "I happen to _be_ a blood mage."

"I will not pretend no one will object, but times are changing. Perhaps this is what the Maker intended."

 _Can I faint dead away now? Is that an option?_

 _No, Addie, smile! Be happy! This is how far you've come; from being trampled on by filth to governing it._

 _People aren't filth, ya know._

"There would be no Inquisition without you. How it will serve, how you will lead. That must be yours to decide." Cassandra said, standing aside to let Adalyn approach Liliana, who held the ornamental sword out to her expectantly.

Adalyn took a breath, her heart beating wildly, her hand hovering over the hilt.

She knew firsthand how cruel mages could be, but she also knew how cruelly mages were treated in the south. She had allied with the Templars for a chance to change their fate; to break the cycle and start anew. This: this could be a chance to educate people on mages, bring hope back to a world that may as well be mad, decide something for herself for once.

She wouldn't disappear into the shadows again this time around.

She took the sword and lifted it up slightly, her voice carrying over the courtyard.

"With fear running rampant, they need to see a mage standing for what is right. I'll defeat Corypheus standing with them, not over them."

"Wherever you lead us," Cassandra said, coming forward to stand beside her, looking over the crowd gathered below.

"Have our people been told?" She called,

"They have," Josephine called, standing in the courtyard among the people and grinning from ear to ear. "And soon the world."

Cassandra nodded, turning to look down at Cullen,

"Commander, will they follow?" She asked,

Cullen went to the front of the crowd and addressed them, "Inquisition, will you follow?"

Cheers and hollers came from the crowd, in clamorous assent.

"Will you fight?" Cullen asked, raising his arms.

The cheers grew louder,

"Will we triumph?"

The Commander turned around, drawing his sword and raising it to her,

"Your Leader! Your Herald! Your _Inquisitor_!" He cried.

 _Eh, fuck it._

She raised the sword as best she could in return.

The crowd below kept going nuts, soldiers and scouts alike were fist-pumping and gripping on to each other. The Chantry representatives were gasping and beaming. She even saw a cloaked figure moving towards the gate; Lockflint. He turned one last time and gave her a secretive salute before disappearing past the gate.

This was it.

Her new life begins today.


	13. A Sparring Match

He hadn't really noticed anything out of the ordinary at first, but when an Inquisition spy working under Liliana sidled up to him and inquired if he had any ties to the Venatori he knew he was back at this shit again.

"No, I'm not a Magister; I'm not even a mage." He was explaining when the door to the newly built tavern opened and the real mage from Tevinter entered with Adalyn in tow.

"You're exactly right!" The mage declared, "I am the 'evil Magister' here, not him! So sorry about the confusion. What?! You thought all people from Tevinter were magical and nefarious? So sorry to disappoint." He whirled through, snarking at the spy and loudly making his way to the bar.

Adalyn was snickering behind her hand when she walked up to the clearly now very uncomfortable spy, and threw an arm over Krem's shoulder casually.

"I guess you could say Krem is a mage, but only if you count the time _he put a spell on my heart_." She leaned in closer egging for a reaction, "EEEEEEHHHHHH?"

The spy began sweating and excused himself from the tavern. Bull whooped and raised a tavern from the back of the room in appreciation of the joke.

"Nice one, Boss!" He roared, heaving himself to his feet from what had quickly become his favorite seat in the building. He made his way over to the bar and sat next to the Tevinter mage and began what Krem deemed as a poor excuse for flirting.

Adalyn turned to him with a friendly smile and gestured toward the bar, "I promised Dorian it get pissed with him, wanna chaperone?"

When she acted like this it became a struggle to remember that she was now the Inquisitor. She became the leader of the Inquisition nearly a month ago and already things were pulling together at Skyhold to take the next steps in battling the enemy.

"I don't see why not," He said and stood from his chair, putting the reports he had been reading away in his belt bag, following her over to the bar.

He sat to her left; she sat next to Dorian, who had Bull on his other side.

Krem ordered lunch, because it was little after noon and he had not yet eaten. Bull ordered another tankard of the piss-weak stuff, and Dorian and Adalyn both ordered Snake Bites; whiskey and lime juice.

Imports from tropical places came in daily now at Skyhold, and Adalyn seemed to revel in the citrus fruits, linen pants, and spices that came in the shipments.

Both she and Dorian knocked the shots back and slammed the glasses on the table.

"Fucking asshole, your dad." Adalyn hissed, shaking the buzz out of her head.

"You don't need to remind me of it." Dorian muttered morosely, signaling with an elegant gesture for another round.

"Under the Qun we have no parents." Bull mentioned,

"Lucky you," Adalyn commented bitterly, swirling the liquor in her second glass.

"No parent's legacy to ruin, perish the thought." Dorian said as he clinked his glass to Adalyn's.

"Yeah! Shove a biscuit up your parent's arse!" Sera helpfully commented from the second level, where she had established her home.

"Praise to that!" Adalyn shouted and pointed in the vague direction of the second floor and knocked her second one back.

"What did your parents do to make you get smashed midday?" Bull asked, ever prying into people's business.

"Blood magic," Dorian and Adalyn chorused.

"He taught me to hate it, and then he tried to use it on me; to _change_ me, and all for his fucking legacy." Dorian spat.

Krem's food arrived in front of him as he processed the news of an altus living a less than perfect life. He dug his fork into some form of pulpy mashed stewed roots and raised it to his face to blow cool air on it to stave off some of the heat.

"My Maman used it to keep me by her side against my will for six years, dragging me halfway across the continent." Adalyn added, sounding indifferent.

Krem's fork never made it to his mouth; it went down to rest on his plate instead.

"Your mother was a blood mage?" He asked unbelievingly, facing Adalyn completely.

"Yeah," She shrugged, sliding her now empty glass between her hands across the wood tabletop.

"And she took you from your home?" Krem added, not really knowing what else to say, but knowing that without clarification he might seriously hurt her feelings.

Adalyn nodded.

 _Oh. That's what I thought she said._

"A legacy, huh?" Bull added in Dorian's direction, "Sounds rough,"

Krem and then Bull shared a look behind the mages' backs, and it was recognized that they were both treading on shaky ground.

"Why would he try to change you, Dorian? You've got a great ass…" Bull began taking to the Altus jovially, attempting to lead him away from darker thoughts.

"Do y'want to talk about it?" He asked Adalyn, hoping to soothe her tense mood.

"Nah," Adalyn muttered through her teeth, her chin propped up on her hand, "Rather be pissed about it. Get it?" She raised her glass to stare blankly at her fuzzy reflection.

"Pissed drunk, pissed angry." She mumbled, "Ha! Comedic genius."

Krem floundered mentally with what to say to her to help her feel better. Maybe offer his own experience with his parents? No…

To his surprise, she stood on her stool and stepped on the bar, causing the bartender to sputter. She hopped down to the other side and spread her arms,

"Let's play a game!" She announced brightly, "Dorian, you are in charge of levitating any liquid headed your way. Bull and Krem,"

She ducked into the back room and grabbed a few apples, a huge bowl, and two metal spikes (what were those doing in the back?) and plopped them down on the table.

She also reached under the table and withdrew some ginger root, turmeric root, and a few lemons.

"Once the lemon and apple pulp has been mixed, and I've added the spices, throw it at Dorian! GO!"

With no other explanation, Bull began crushing apples with his hands and passing the bowl to Krem, who crushed them further with the spikes and added the lemon juice with Bull's help.

Adalyn set to work on the roots, pulling out a knife from under the counter she made quick work of them, dicing them into thin strips. She tossed them in the bowl as well and stirred it in.

"Finally!" Bull said, grabbing the bowl, "I've wanted to ruin this Vint's hair for two months!" He dumped the contents onto Dorian's head… almost.

The mage had stopped the mushy liquid from falling on him, suspending it midair.

Adalyn was clapping her hands happily, "Ooh, I've always wanted to see a mage do that!"

Krem had to admit, he was impressed.

Dorian manipulated the liquid to fall back in the bowl, and after they calmly poured it into cups and drank.

It was cool and light from having been flung through the air, kind of pulpy from the apples and lemons being partly smashed, and the ginger and turmeric warmed his stomach.

Both Dorian and Adalyn's mood had lightened from the sudden excitment, and now Dorian was chatting a little more openly to Bull and vise versa.

Adalyn stretched and pushed aside her empty cup, "I still kind of want to hit something," She muttered, her mood like the calm after a storm; a storm-tossed sunny day with volatile humidity ever hanging heavily.

Bull took a break from his conversation to mention, "Just go around out back, they set up dummies back there. They're not strong enough to take a hit from me, but one might last a little while longer if you're hitting it, Boss."

Adalyn stood and thanked him, Krem moved with her.

"We can spar if you'd like, Your Worship." He offered.

She tossed her amber hair and shot a smile at him. And what was the phrase they used down south…? _'Butterflies in your stomach'?_ Well, whatever that was it felt like someone had set their wings on fire inside.

"I'd like that," She said, grabbing his hand and starting to bolt for the door with him in tow.

The action reminded him of when they first met a few months back when she took his hand and led him to the warm shack to share a mug of tea.

Had it only been a few short months since he met her?

They made it out to the training yard and Adalyn began digging around in the wooden weapons rack for something they've both had experience in. Something caught his eyes while she was pushing through the battered swords.

"What about this?" He asked, grabbing a wooden staff from the rack and hefting it, testing the weight.

Adalyn turned and saw the staff, grimacing.

"Actually, I've never used a staff." She admitted, dropping a training shield to the ground.

"Never? You're a mage."

Adalyn shrugged, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Nope, never to channel magic. But I have used a Bo… It's basically the same thing."

She took up another staff from the rack and turned it over in her hands, "This will work fine of that's what you'd like to use."

Krem nodded while giving the staff a few test swings and blocks. "This'll do just fine, Your Worship."

He almost missed the slight blush that danced across her cheeks.

Almost.

She caught him staring and snapped to a fighting stance, holding the staff defensively, "Don't waste your breath, then."

Krem laughed, "I wasn't going to." He lunged and swung.

The end should have hit her. She wasn't there.

Mocking laughter rang from the tavern roof. He looked up to see Adalyn perched on Sera's favorite sitting spot outside of her little attached room.

Adalyn was grinning and swinging her staff leisurely through the air.

"Too slow, Lieutenant." She spun towards him, "If you want to keep your job, then get faster."

She jumped, and he predicted she would land directly behind him.

His miscalculation was realized by a blow to his right side. Adalyn's staff had pummeled him full on from the side where she had landed.

 _How…?_

He hardly had time to think before parrying another strike.

She shook her off forcefully and she skidded back a couple feet.

He knew he couldn't beat her if she kept dancing around him, but she would be no match for him head-on.

He advanced quickly, causing her to jog backwards, looking a little nervous at the determination in his eyes.

She hop-skipped her way back onto some crates and barrels, where she danced while avoiding his sweeping motions with the weapon.

Until, there! He caught her weapon! He had been aiming for her legs, getting her into a motion, and then suddenly went for the staff, and knocked it from her grip.

She made a jump for it, but he was ready.

He caught her straight in the abdomen with a swing that sent her tumbling from the barrel tops and to the grass.

She tried to squirm away to her weapon, but he planted his staff end in the ground next to her head. Then he caught the sight of her rolling onto her back to gaze up at him. Adalyn with her sweat glistening, cheeks flushed, breath panting, hair in disarray and he thought,

 _Maker's…._

A heat began building in a place that was _definitely not_ his stomach.

He struggled for words, it was like his tongue had swollen up and he could not move his mouth to speak. He just, couldn't.

Adalyn broke the spell by spitting a little bit of grass out of her mouth.

"I forfeit." She said, extending a hand for him to help her up, and then quickly retrating it befor he could reach down.

She helped herself up and smiled fleetingly at him,

"This was… greatly needed." She added.

"Glad I could help," Krem took a step back to allow her some room as she seemed to be growing ever more uncomfortable by the second.

Was it him?... Was she hurt?

"Are you hurt?" He blurted out of concern.

She looked startled. "What? No! No. I'm fine, thank you for the concern."

Krem breathed a sigh of relief. At least it wasn't that.

"But," She hesitantly added, sending a glace back at the main hall of Skyhold, "I just remembered that there is something that requires my immediate attention."

 _She's slipped back into formal speech._

Krem noted.

 _She only uses that to be professional, or around people she doesn't like._

"I understand," He smiled wryly, "You have duties as Inquisitor. Sorry t'keep you here so long."

Adalyn smiled briefly and said, "Thanks," before rushing off up the stairs and disappearing into the hall.

He raised a hand in farewell until he had to put up the staffs from their match.

Little did he know, they had two spectators. And these two people read more into the situation than Krem had even dared to dream. And they were gonna do something about it.

* * *

 **Apple-Ginger Shot**

An easy, healthy, non-alcoholic way to have a drink.

 **Ingredients**

1 apple

2 lemons

2-inch piece of ginger root (about 5cm)

2-inch piece of turmeric root (about 5 cm)

 **Instructions**

Wash all the ingredients.

Chop the ingredients and put everything through the juicer. (or get a Qunari and a strapping young man to help you crush them)


	14. Spitting Fire

She made her way quickly up the stairs and through the main hall to take refuge in her own quarters. The architects just recently finished with it and all it contained was a bed (the frame was from Fereldan but the sheets and mattress were a gift from her aunt and uncle in Orlais), a desk and chair, and a stand with a wash basin on it in the back closet. She loved it, how it was so high up and close to the sky. She could open the doors to the balcony and just let the wind in, it was heaven.

But now she didn't want them open. She locked them shut in a hurry along with the door to her room, and threw herself in the back closet wantonly stripping off her sweaty clothing and dumping the cool water in the wash basin left over from this morning over her head. The water crashed against her burning skin and she shivered, trying to bring her mind fully down from the clouds.

When that didn't work, she abandoned the closet in favor of the bed; collapsing half on it and reaching down to start touching herself.

 _Frisky today, are we?_

Dazai chuckled in her mind.

"Shut up," She growled, grabbing a fistful of sheets

 _You know I could help you with that…_

Dazai offered, and the feeling of hands caressing her body _underneath_ her skin began, it felt like the skittering of spider's legs across a stone floor... creeping and scuttling and scattering and…! The sensation tugged her violently out of her fiery haze and she immediately built up walls mentally around Dazai and his wandering hands.

When he did that, it reminded her exactly how close she was to becoming an abomination. All of her skin bursting to reveal a repulsive demonic larva that would no doubt turn on her friends instantly.

She sat up on the sheets and allowed her body to cool down, removing her hand from where it itched to continue its work.

A knock sounded from the door and Adalyn quickly drew the covers around herself.

"Come in!" She called.

She usually didn't mind being seen naked, but this was something different.

The guard came up the stairs quickly, gave a bow.

"I am sorry to wake you from your rest, Inquisitor." She said, eying Adalyn's slightly damp and very tousled hair.

"It's fine. Report?" Adalyn asked, clearing her throat and adjusting how the blankets covered her.

"Right, Cassandra looks like she might do Varric in, Your Worship." The guard said.

Adalyn sighed tiredly; she knew it would come to this sooner of later after Hawke's arrival at Skyhold.

"I will be right down to resolve the matter. And where, exactly, is Cassandra trying to do Varric in?"

"The forge, Your Worship."

"Thanks," Adalyn said tiredly, and the guard took her queue to leave.

Once the door had closed, Adalyn quickly stood and went to the trunk at the base of her bed and pulled out another change of clothes. She tugged them on as she jogged down the stairs and to the main hall.

Once she arrived at the forge she could hear the fighting. Cassandra and Varric were chasing each other around the table like in a game of cat and mouse. By the time Adalyn made it to the top of the stairs, Cassandra had pinned Varric to the table's edge.

"You knew where Hawke was all along!" Cassandra shouted,

Varric shoved her off and glared in retaliation, "You're damned right I did!"

Cassandra pulled her lips back in a snarl, "You conniving little shit!" She swung a sloppy hook punch from the right that Varric easily ducked under and retreated to the other side of the table to put something in between the two of them.

"You kidnapped me! You interrogated me! What did you expect?" Varric said, just about as angry as Adalyn had ever seen him.

This was not going down well without her intervention.

"Hey! Enough!" She raised her voice and stepped in between the two of them.

Cassandra looked betrayed for a moment, "You're taking _his_ side?" She asked indignantly.

"I said _enough_!" Adalyn restated.

 _They're acting like children! I swear, if this Inquisition were a ship, so help me Maker, I would…._

"We needed someone to lead this Inquisition. First, Liliana for the Hero of Fereldan, but she had vanished." Cassandra no longer shouted, she just seethed, pacing and glaring daggers at Varric.

"Then, we looked for Hawke," Cassandra continued, "But he was gone too. We thought it all connected, but no. It was just you. _You_ kept him from us."

"The Inquisition _has_ a leader," Varric pointed out, gesturing to Adalyn.

 _So this isn't about bringing an apostate mage in for punishment. Cassandra wanted the Champion of Kirkwall to lead the Inquisition?_

Adalyn thought back to the first time she met Hawke up on the battlements. He had looked… tired. Like he had seen too much and done too much, and everything that he might have done cause him some form of regret. Hawke had made her feel very small, like a child playing pretend, waving her hand at the sky and pretending to lead, pretending to have the answers and the confidence.

" _Must be nice to be young," Hawke had said, "When you're young you don't notice how pressure and expectations creep up on you until it's too late and you have no energy to fight off your demons."_

Adalyn knew that she had seen and done terrible things, she knew she wasn't naive, that she wasn't a child, but talking to the older mage… She now knew that even if Varric had known that Cassandra wanted Hawke to lead the Inquisition, that the Dwarf would still have kept Hawke's location a secret.

Hawke was a man tired of running, tired of leading, tired of life itself it seemed.

Adalyn hoped she would not end up the same way.

"Hawke would have been at the Conclave," Cassandra argued, drawing Adalyn back to the present, "If anyone could have saved Most Holy…"

"No matter how much you want the past to change, Cassandra, it won't. You can only forgive and move on or waste your life dwelling on it." Adalyn said determinedly,

 _I know one or two things about holding grudges._

"Varric is a liar, Inquisitor. A snake." Cassandra spat. "Even after the Conclave, when we needed Hawke most, Varric kept him secret."

"He's with us now! We're on the same side!" Varric submitted in a final attempt at appeasing the warrior's wrath.

"We all know whose side you're on Varric. And it will never be the Inquisition's."

Alright! That's it!

"Instigating this fight won't help the Inquisition Cassandra." Adalyn turned on her, crossing her arms.

"Ha! Exactly!" Varric jabbed triumphantly,

"Oh, don't think you are out of trouble yet, Varric. In the future, you had best not keep anything else from us." Adalyn sent a pointed look at the Dwarf.

Varric let out a frustrated sound and sighed, "I understand."

Cassandra walked over to the table and stared down into the forge fires contemplatively,

"I must not think of what could have been. We have so much at stake." She said with the fire in her voice gone. "Go, Varric. Just… go."

Varric and Adalyn shared a look and he turned to leave, about to descend the wooden stairs and then he stopped and looked at Cassandra,

"You know what I think?" He said, "If Hawke had been at the Temple, he'd be dead, too."

Adalyn knew that what Varric said was true; Hawke might have died with the rest of them.

Varric turned away and began his decent, "You people have done enough to him."

He disappeared and Cassandra sat heavily down in a chair next to the table.

"I… believed him." She said quietly,

Adalyn went over, pulled up the other wooden chair across from hers and sat down.

"He spun his story for me, and I swallowed it. If I just explained what was at stake… if I just made him understand. But I didn't, did I? I didn't explain why we needed Hawke." Cassandra exhaled heavily and hunched forward in her chair, "I am such a fool."

Adalyn's lips twitched up in a smile, "We're all fools here, Cassandra. The Inquisition looks kind of like a walking Circus." She cupped her hands around her mouth and imitated a crier, "Step right up and see Warden Blackwall! He can consume vast quantities of food and empty a fully-stocked larder in a week! No one like him!"

She saw Cassandra crack a small smile and continued,

"Next up, we have the Tower of Mayhem! Duo: Sera and The Iron Bull. Watch in amazement as Bull tosses Sera from his horns over the line of battle as she shoots three exploding arrows into the enemies' assholes!"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Cassandra said through choked laughter.

"More at home, maybe." Adalyn said with a shrug.

Cassandra seemed to relax, "I want you to know, I have no regrets." She said.

"If we had found Hawke or the Hero of Fereldan, the Maker might not have needed to send you. But he did."

Adalyn stood up and made way for Cassandra to stand up as well.

"You are not what I pictured. But if I have learned anything, it is that I know next to nothing." Cassandra admitted, standing and walking with Adalyn to the stairs.

"What did you picture me as? Taller? More handsome? Without blood magic? I don't think I could pull off being a blonde if that's what you pictured."

Cassandra laughed, shaking her head fondly, "No, you are fine as you are."

…

"You are _most definitely_ not 'fine', my dear." Vivienne's heels clicked on the stone floor of the room they were practicing dancing in.

It was barely a few days since Varric and Cassandra had their fight. They were both working it out in their own ways but had yet to apologize to each other. Adalyn was working on getting them to make amends, but she couldn't do it so easily with the ball looming around the corner.

Vivienne tapped a finger to Adalyn's back and she straightened her posture.

The beautiful and accomplished mage had taken Adalyn under her wing, which meant tutelage on every noble house of Orlais, table manners, small talk, how to walk, and how to dance, which is what they were doing now.

Or attempting, anyhow.

Adalyn's hand switched back to hold Vivienne's from below involuntarily, causing the mage to sigh and step back, snapping her arms into a cross fold.

"I don't understand how you do not understand. You cannot lead a dance, my dear. If a man asks you to dance you simply must let him lead at all costs! It's social expectation."

Adalyn staggered back on her heeled shoes with a grumble, "So what if I lead? I can do it better than any man."

Vivienne cocked a perfect eyebrow, "I can't hear you if you mumble, no mumbling."

"I wasn't…" Adalyn's retort was cut short by the appearance of Josephine, Vivienne's assistant for Adalyn's instruction.

The Ambassador carried herself gracefully all the way to Adalyn (making her feel even more like a drunken ass in the heels she wore) and stopped to pose carefully with her quill at the ready.

"Inquisitor, I must know who you will have to escort you to the Winter Palace. I can arrange for only a limited amount of invitations, the limit is four, not including myself or the other Advisors, who are all going."

Adalyn gave it a second of thought and listed, "Vivienne, Cole, The Iron Bull, and Cassandra. What do you think?"

Josephine cringed slightly, "Cole… is a peculiar young man, and perhaps it would be best to keep him away from the nobility."

Adalyn nodded, "Well, I wasn't going to bring Sera."

"No," Josephine agreed, "That would be a disaster. Although," She said, posing to write down something on her board. "The Iron Bull?"

Vivienne scoffed and moved to the plush chair she had the servants bring down and sat down and leaned casually on the armrest, her body stretching languidly yet dangerously poised like one of those large black cats Adalyn had once seen in an island jungle.

"It is true that bringing him would insure that we have an _intimidating_ presence at the least, but it would also degrade our social image. It _is_ Orlais we are talking about here, Inquisitor." Vivienne commented, inspecting her perfectly manicured nails.

"True, but we must also keep in mind that a Qunari Ben-Hassrath may be able to gather information at the Orlisian court better than most, his abilities could be useful." Liliana said as she strode into the room holding a sealed envelope.

"Here are the official invitations, Josie." She said, handing over the envelope to the Ambassador.

Josephine smiled and turned to Adalyn, "Let us know your final answer as soon as you can, Inquisitor. I must send all the proper titles to the court so that we may be put on the announcer's list."

"Thank you, Josephine." Adalyn then turned to Vivienne with a delicate sweep of a bow, "May I be excused for the day, Madame De Fer?" She asked in her politest voice.

Vivienne gave her an once-over and a flick of the wrist, "That will be enough for today, my dear. You may be dismissed."

Adalyn grinned and shucked off the mandatory heels and headed out of the room for the Tavern.

She bounded through the door happily barefoot and whizzed past several people attempting to talk to her before catching sight of someone who she momentarily forgot frequents the tavern.

Krem.

 _Oh shit oh shit oh shit!_

She dodged at the last moment to the left and in the direction of the bar instead.

 _He makes my knees weak, my head stupid, and my heart hurt… Why does this keep happening to me?_

She whined internally, heading for the back of the Tavern to Bull's chair.

"Hey, Boss! How you doin'?" He called when he saw her approach, he set down his tankard; no doubt a cool drink to stave off the heat of training. Adalyn could smell the sweat on him from where she was.

She smiled in greeting and pulled up a stool from the corner so that she could sit across from him, plus her feet were starting to ache from the heels.

"I'm good, Bull. I was just wondering, we have to go to the Winter Palace sooner or later to prevent the assassination of the Empress, and I was thinking on bringing you as back up for muscle and spying. It's kind of your domain, right?"

Bull seemed thoughtful, "Orlisians, huh? Ugly bunch. I've been to a few of the really fancy parties before. Usually in a harness and leash, but-"

"WHOA WHOA BACK IT UP!" Adalyn held up a hand to stop his words in their tracks. "Did you just say 'usually in a harness and leash'?"

"Yeah," Bull said in an offhand sort of way that made Adalyn almost burst with infuriation.

"Under what circumstances?" She snapped, barely able to settle her temper.

"It's not worth getting mad about, Boss. I was just there to gather information, and I had the role of entertainment as my cover." Bull said coolly.

Adalyn stood, "You're not going." She said pointedly. "The Inquisition will not degrade any of their members to that level, nor will we condone it. I don't want people there to look at you and say terrible things, even if you don't mind it, it still hurts me!"

Adalyn remembered some of the looks Lockflint got for being Tal-Vashoth and the murmurs of 'Oxman' behind his back; it had sickened and outraged her. The Captain had to pick her up by the scuff of her neck and carry her kicking back to the ship to keep her from mugging the rude individuals.

And the collar and harness… reminded her too much of what she had been through.

She calmed down a little after some heavy breaths and said,

"I'm sorry, Bull, I'll find someone else."

* * *

 **Let the ominous music begin!**

 **I'm officially changing the rating of this story from T to M due to smutty mischief later on in the plot.  
**

 **Also please let me know if I do something you do or don't like, I really need third opinions and criticism and praise (I am a human being, too! A.k.a: pay attention to me!)**

 **Thank you , thank you, for reading today's chapter.**

 **S.T.**


	15. A Chance Not Wasted

The sparring match had ended all conversation between them, and then she had left on her trip without saying a word.

It was oddly cold behavior from the Herald, and Krem had resigned himself once again to just dreaming of holding her hand and being by her side.

The way she sparred with him, dancing around in a fiery whirl, made him yearn for a way for him to experience again the feeling of fighting by her side on the Storm Coast.

The music the bard played reflected his feelings and echoed them back, making his head hurt. He drank more to wash the thrumming away.

He ran his hand over the muslin of his pants absentmindedly.

The texture under his fingers became napped satin, diamond shapes in stitches along a bodice.

He blinked.

His lips were on someone's…

His hands were running over her bodice, feeling the needlework and the curve of her waist under his palms.

 _Wait, how did…?_

"Is this helping?" The woman asked, drawing back slightly to rest her back against a wooden beam.

In the drifting lamp light from the Tavern below her features betrayed her to be Maryden, the Bard. They were standing on the third floor of the Tavern away from the stair landing with their arms tangled together.

Krem breathed in to clear his head and took a step back,

"I… don't think I want… how did I get up here?" He asked, glancing down at the barely visible seats the floor below.

Maryden raised an eyebrow, "You don't remember? No matter," She shrugged his hands off her arms and stepped away to the stairs.

"Wait!" Krem started, reaching out for her and catching her gloved hand. The soft leather (doeskin or halla? He wondered,) slid against his palm until he was holding Maryden's hand.

"Oh? I thought you decided you didn't want to take me to bed after all…?" She said coyly, an almost mocking smile on her lips.

Panic set in. The type of panic that made it really hard to move.

 _Krem, come on! You have faced everything from squirrels to darkspawn to giants and talking poetry trees; you can say or do something to figure out what in Thedas is going on._

"Uh," He said. It was probably not the most intelligent thing he said today, and yet it was the only syllable that made it from his mouth.

Maryden makes a grab for his pant's waistline and he makes a high-pitched noise that makes his ears erupt in heat. She makes a predatory grin that seems like the polar opposite of her usual self when she was all small clever smiles and deadpan expression.

"You feel like this is wrong, no?" She asked suddenly leaning closer, "Your heart is caught on Adalyn, so dallying with me just won't do."

She reached to the side and grabbed something coarse and red from on top of a dusty barrel and put it lopsidedly on top her head. It was a wig.

"You could always pretend that I am Adalyn."

"No!" He pushed her away, "I mean…" He cleared his throat, slightly ashamed at having to even push her away, "No," he said softer.

Even though he had pushed her away, she began to smile, pulling the ugly wig off of her head.

"You passed my little test." She said tossing the thing back onto the barrels. "Sorry for having to touch you so much, but then again…" She threw a look over her shoulder that traced down his body, "Maybe I'm not that sorry."

Krem breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh, this was a test… For what?"

Maryden smiled secretly and gestured for him to follow her, "Come and see for yourself." As she was going down the stairs she called out, "Thank you for your assistance, Cole."

"I'm glad I helped." A young man's voice drifted from somewhere back at her.

Krem looked confusedly back up at the third floor before shaking off the feeling he's heard that voice before and following Maryden out of the Tavern.

She took him across the way to the main hall, by this time of night all the guests had retired to their rooms and the only ones occupying the room were a few guards joking around and Varric finishing up some paperwork by candlelight at his desk.

Maryden opened the door to the Lady Ambassador's office and motioned for him to enter. He did so announcing his entry with an, "Excuse me,".

Inside the office stood Seeker Pentaghast and Lady Josephine both looking unsurprised to see him enter.

Were they… expecting him? That's got to be it. Maryden probably set something up, right.

"Lieutenant," Josephine smiled daintily, "It seems we have the pleasure of speaking again."

Krem was, as always, very impressed with her poised nature.

"It's good to see you again, Ambassador." He said as politely as he could.

"Are you aware that the Inquisitor has refused to take The Iron Bull as a bodyguard to the Winter Palace?" Josephine asked.

How could he not be aware? He was watching his boss and Adalyn talk out of the corner of his eye when she had exploded in verbal fury and stormed out from the tavern. Later, he had asked Bull what they were talking about; Bull had replied gruffly: "Orlisians".

"I had some idea." Krem admitted.

Josephine and Cassandra shared a silent look before the Seeker grunted and turned away,

"You are better at explaining, Ambassador." Cassandra huffed, going over to stand back near the fireplace.

"Very well," Josephine said, looking back at Krem, "Our request is for you to act as the Inquisitor's bodyguard during the ball at the Winter Palace in less than a month."

Krem's eyes widened in shock, "Me?" He asked, his tone full of uncertainty.

The door behind him creaked open and he heard a dry chuckle accompanied with the Dwarf named Varric entering the room.

"My, my, Seeker. I didn't think you would actually take action on my little observation that the kids liked each other. Are you just a sucker for romance or are you just a fan of my…"

Cassandra marched forward with a terrifying finger pointed, thankfully not at him, but at the Dwarf. "Not. Another. Word. Dwarf." She growled.

Varric paled slightly and held his hands up in a peaceful defense, "Alright, alight, Seeker. No need to get prickly now. I'm just happy that you're helping them get a storybook ending. If I got involved, none of it would go right… it would end in a tragedy, just like my books."

"UGH!" Cassandra heaved exasperatedly, "Don't TELL me how it ends, Varric!" She glared at him and leaned down closer to his height, "If you kill the Knight Captain after all of this, I swear…"

Varric gave a grin and looked over at Krem to throw a wink, "She's a fan of my work," He explained, "And something of a romantic."

Cassandra looked down to the floor, "I… am. But that is not my sole reason for doing this. I just… wanted to do something nice for her after she helped us… 'make up' as it were."

Krem was feeling like he was missing part of the conversation, or at least some context behind it.

"You want to have me go to the ball to guard the Inquisitor to do something nice for someone else who helped you two make up… or something?" He concluded the roundabout explanation, hoping for more answers.

They all looked at him for a moment in silence.

It was Maryden who broke the silence smoothly, "Addie would probably strangle a noble without supervision. Plus, if there needs to be a behind the scenes investigation after the Empress' well-being, it can be easily covered up as the Inquisitor and her Tevinter lover stepping away for a while no?"

The thought of people assuming that about

"I don't want to hurt her Worship's reputation."

"She is practically a walking ruined reputation, Krem. The only thing that keeps her in good standing is the fact that Grand-mere hasn't disowned her… yet."

Josephine breathed a shaky sigh, "And even that remains to be seen. The Duchess Chastain has always been… tenacious at court, and unforgiving to both her enemies and her family, she has been known to cut her own relatives off with no financial or political standing. The Herald's display at court could very well mean losing what family she had left.

"She will still have me." Maryden said, stepping forward.

"You and her are related? And The Duchess is…?" Krem couldn't believe it… the similarity he noticed in their eyes was a blood relation?

"Yes." Maryden nodded and drew a folded piece of paper from her inner vest pocket. "This is my family line," She traced the worn black ink lines across the parchment from one name to the next.

"This is our Grand-mere; the current Duchess Chastain. And my mother, Adalyn's 'Tante'… Aunt. And her daughter, me, Adalyn's cousin. And my mother's half-sister, Adalyn's mother."

 _Oh._

Adalyn was Orlesian nobility. Makes some amount of sense. How else does she have the manners of a well-bred lady sometimes? Most of the time she just acted like normal person, though.

"Though, I do not have much information on her mother's father, Grand-mere's first husband…" Maryden was saying.

"I do." Josephine blurted, then blushed and fiddled with her golden sleeve-ends when everyone turned to look at her. "I… looked into it out of some curiosity."

Cassandra's eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms accusatorially turning towards the fidgeting diplomat. "And what _did_ you find? Something you couldn't tell?"

"I'm glad you asked, Cassandra." An amused voice cut in from behind the door leading to the war room. It swung open and there stood the Inquisition's Spymater, Liliana, twirling away a listening glass back into her pocket. "Josie would have never let me tell anyone."

She strode into the room and smirked, moving through the group to settle down on the top of the couch.

"Her grandfather's name was Eligius _Amladaris_." _Amladaris… I might know that name… It's—_ "Tevinter!" He exclaimed, then cleared his throat and then tried for a clearer and calmer, "It's a Tevinter name, right?" "Very good. And not only that, but-" "But, my dear Spymaster," Interrupted by a ringing voice coming from the ceiling, "Is that the house Amladaris of Tevinter is highly suspected to be directly related to our enemy, Corypheus himself. Now, everybody say, 'good job well done, Dorian, for all your relentless digging through spare bookshelves and many hours of beauty sleep lost because of this particular nasty bit of research!'."

"Mister Pavus… How long have you been listening in to our conversation with magic, pray tell?" Josephine asked, starting to sound frustrated while checking a tic at the bridge of her nose.

"Oh, silly me for not mentioning! The whole time, of course. Wonderful idea to bring along Cremisius, by the way. I won't be the only Tevinter anymore! Huzzah for more reminders of home. Dorian out."

And with that, the connection seemingly cut off.

Josephine was quite firmly pinching the bridge of her nose now.

Cassandra moved about the room, glaring at all the offending corners and shadows "is there anyone else listening in right now?"

A pair of feet stuck out from underneath the couch with wiggling toes. Sera slid out of her hiding place and stood up, "Not the first one to do that, yeah? So it's all good, in'nit?"

The strange young man materialized on Josephine's desk, "I was… listening."

The door to the hall creaked open and Bull stuck his head through, "You know, Ben-Hassrath, and all that." He rumbled his excuse.

Vivienne strutted in, pushing Bull out of the way, "And he was relaying the information to me."

"Is there anyone in this Inquisition that _doesn't_ know?! This was supposed to be a surprise for the Inquisitor!" Cassandra exploded.

A chorus of, 'Oh's and 'My bad's and one by one people left the room, but not before stopping by Krem and giving him a promise or a tip.

"By the time I am done with you, my dear, you will shine as brightly as you will ever." Enchanter Vivienne said smoothly, giving him an imperious once-over before leaving.

Bull gave him a solid pat on the shoulder, "I'll give you some tips on how to smooze with the Orlesian types. Get it? Smooooooooze."

He was pushed out of the way by Cassandra, "I hope that my faith in you has not been misplaced."

Sera bounded in next, throwing an arm over his shoulder. They had never talked much since their coming to Skyhold, but he had seen (and mostly heard) Sera bounding around and up to no good.

"Stick it where it matters, yeah? Right there, up to the dangle-bag for those piss-sock Orlais people. And right up the lady-bits and right where she likes it for the Herald!" She made an inappropriate arm gesture and crowed for a good measure before dodging around Bull to get to the door.

Varric

"Listen, Kid. I'm going to let you in on something you seem to have been missing; everyone here knows you like the girl."

Another blush stained his ears and made it hard to focus, was he _that_ obvious?

"And here's a tip free of charge for you: she is completely head-over-heels for you too. Chesnutt may be sweet on nearly everybody, but she had something special for you. Make some use of it while you are still young, so you don't live with as many regrets as I do."

"Makes you sound like an old toad." Krem commented.

Varric gave a dry chuckle, "I have already been down that road, and I know my time is up. I just want to see you waste yours."

The Dwarf gave him one final, companionable smile before trotting away to finish more paperwork, leaving Krem with Josephine and Liliana.

"Let's get to fitting your uniform, shall we?" Josephine said brightly, "That is…assuming you'll do it?"

"I will." He said.

He wasn't going to waste this chance either.


	16. Come On, Lover

Vivienne's tailor had _really_ come through with this dress.

Her feet and legs were covered in golden armor panels extending up to her lower thighs, acting as armor. The dark forest green of her dress complimented the mark glowing on her hand and contrasted with her copper hair. The fabric parted in the front to reveal her armored legs, and swept like a train in the back, the bodice was also golden armor with the Inquisition's insignia on the chest. The only piece of fabric covering her legs in the front was just above her thighs and below her bodice, leaving a little part of her upper thighs exposed.

Adalyn felt powerful as she strode up the stairs and through the gilded gates to the Winter Palace. The Inquisition's escort soldiers stood aside and at attention as she walked up to the Grand Duke Gaspard while flanked by her advisors.

"Inquisitor Chastain! We meet at last," The Grand Duke exclaimed, moving closer to her in greeting, "I've heard so much about you."

Adalyn eyed the nobleman carefully, despite his cordiality; he could be in league with Corypheus.

"And I you, Grand Duke Gaspard," Adalyn said with a toned down smile, allowing him to scoop up her hand and bring it to his lips, "Your soldiers speak very highly of you and your honor."

Gaspard smiled in return, seeming to become a little friendlier with the mention of his soldiers.

"And with more soldiers of their like, imagine what the Inquisition could become with the full support of the rightful Emperor of Orlais!"

A test to see where her loyalties lie, she could do better.

"And which one was the rightful one, again? I keep getting them confused." Adalyn sighed jokingly.

"If we keep watch, he may appear. Probably by the brandy." The Grand Duke's wildlife hunting joke not lost on Adalyn, who was desperately trying to keep a polite smile on her face.

"I am not a man who forgets his friends, Inquisitor. You help me, I'll help you." Grand Duke Gaspard said with a hint of an offer in his tone.

He slowly walked away towards the stairs and Adalyn followed suit,

"Prepared to shock the assembly by appearing as the guest of a hateful usurper, my Lady?" Gaspard asked, turning to judge her expression just as she had been studying his before. "They will be telling stories of this into the next age."

Adalyn smiled and brushed her palm over the green silk of her skirts while her other hand was up near her neck, her fingers toying with the gold filigree of her choker.

She grinned inwardly as she saw him struggle to swallow and keep his composure.

"I doubt that crowd has seen anything better than us in their entire lives," She said impishly, tilting her head to allow a loose ringlet of her short wavy hair to come loose from its pinned place and brush delicately at her neck.

A flush rose behind the Grand Duke's mask.

Dazai chuckled in her mind and kept whispering instructions to her on how to shift her body, how to remove her fingers from her necklace and hover her hand over his, and let him take it.

"I knew that we would get along famously, Inquisitor." He said, managing to clear his throat but not his head. Not yet.

"As a friend-" He continued, "Perhaps there is a matter you could undertake this evening."

"Oh?" Adalyn raised an eyebrow coquettishly.

He looked away flustered and returned with hasty resolution, "This elvan woman, Briala- I suspect that she intends to disrupt the negotiations. My people have found these "Ambassadors" all over the fortifications. Sabotage seems the least of their crimes."

"I might look into this matter, Grand Duke Gaspard, but only for a friend." Adalyn sighed coyly, tugging her hand away from his grip gently.

"Is that not what I am to you, Inquisitor? What are we but not friends?"

"If you were a _friend_ , Grand Duke Gaspard, I would recommend that you call me by my given name."

"And do you recommend it?" He breathed low, coming closer to her suddenly. The air seemed to become still and Dazai whispered,

 _Finish him off, now—_

"Perhaps, Your Grace. But that…" She let her eyes scan his body, "Is entirely up to you."

He shivered visibly as she pulled back and picked up her skirts, placing a single heeled foot to the marble stairs, "We are keeping the court waiting, Your Grace."

She turned her head to look at him where he stood gaping,

"Shall we?"

…

Josephine caught Adalyn just before she went in,

"Inquisitor, a moment, if you please?"

Adalyn stopped and wondered if this would be another lecture about manners again like all the ones they had on the road on the way to the Winter Palace.

"Inquisitor, I must remind you that the Game is no simple matter of etiquette and protocol. Every word, every gesture is measured and evaluated for weakness."

Adalyn smiled reassuredly and said, "Don't worry, Josephine, my grandmere trained me from a young age in the art of playing the game."

"Regardless, you would be safer staring down Coypheus." Josephine sighed. After a moment, she looked up and said, "With that in mind, we are able to provide you with extra protection. If you would come out, Lieutenant?"

At her beckon, Krem stepped into the doorway to stand beside Adalyn.

Her heart did flips as she gaped at him. He was wearing the same black, gold, and green uniform as all the other representatives of the Inquisition were wearing, but when it was him in that uniform…

"You look stunning, Your Worship," Krem said warmly and Adalyn felt like melting into a puddle.

Josephine lightly cleared her throat, "He is here to guard you and also to serve as a… reason for your future disappearances during the night."

"Oh… OH." Adalyn said her eyes wide. She turned her gaze to Krem again and he merely smiled unperturbedly and said,

"Surprise,"

"I see I have no choice but to take you as my pretend lover for the evening," Adalyn sighed with fake disappointment, she hooked her arm through his, thrilled by this sudden development.

 _This will make it harder to flirt our way through the hearts and minds of the nobility._

Dazai noted,

Adalyn dryly nodded and smiled at Josephine, "See, Josie, we'll be fine!" She said cheerfully imitating Liliana's nickname for the Ambassador.

And with that she swept into the entrance hall with Krem in tow and a demon whispering suggestions in her mind.

…

The golden candlelight danced on the marble floor and played across the magnificent pillars as Adalyn descended the stairs after Grand Duke Gaspard at her cue.

"…And accompanying him: Lady Inquisitor Chastain, Champion of the Blessed Andraste herself, Heir Apparent to the Chastain Duchy, Ender of the Mage Rebellion, and-", a slightly confused pause followed, then the man resumed, "And accompanying the Inquisitor…"

All sounds faded away. All the whispers and the strains of music from the corner of the ballroom all the way to the vaulted ceilings dropped to nothing with Adalyn's concentration.

Adalyn focused on the Empress in silence, gilding across the ballroom floor with all the poise and grace she could muster.

Tonight something was different about her, or maybe Dazai. They were working together, feeling everyone's eyes on them, and internalizing their desires.

Once Adalyn reached the top of the stairs leading up to the balcony where the Empress stood, _her_ Empress, she stopped at Gaspard's side and waited attentively for the ruler to speak.

When she did, it was to first address her cousin, as rule dictated, "Grand Duke," She said warmly and with a curtsy, "We are always honored when your presence graces our court."

 _Did she….? Just make a pun?_

 _Focus._

 _Sorry._

"Don't waste my time with pleasantries, Celene, we have business to conclude." Gaspard said curtly.

"We will meet for the negotiations after we have seen to our other guests." Celene calmly stipulated.

Gaspard swept a mockingly overdone bow to his cousin and straightened. He turned a look to Adalyn and almost caressingly said, "Inquisitor," As his farewell, and quickly went up the stairs to her left and disappeared into the throng of Orlisians.

"Lady Inquisitor," The Empress said, drawing Adalyn's attention back to face forward, "We welcome you to the Winter Palace."

Adalyn was secretly thrilled to have the Empress address her, even if it wasn't at the Grand Tourney like she always hoped.

"Allow Us to present Our cousin, The Grand Duchess of Lydes, without whom this gathering would never have been possible." The woman beside her curtsied, she sported short blond hair and a high dress collar, in some ways she resembled Adalyn's grandmother. (Unsurprising, they were distant cousins, after all.)

"What an unexpected pleasure, I was not aware the _Inquisition_ would be a part of our festivities." She smiled privately and backed away from the railing, "We will certainly speak later Inquisitor."

 _Is she happy or upset to see us here?_

Adalyn asked Dazai.

 _Both, I think._

He said.

"Your arrival at court is like a cool wind on a summer's day." The Empress said once her cousin was away.

"I once lived on a ship, your Majesty, and if I have learned anything, is that many cool winds on a clear day herald a coming storm." Adalyn said.

"Even the wisest can mistake fair winds for foul." The Empress quipped back with a sly smile. "We have heard much of your exploits, Inquisitor; they make grand tales for long evenings. How do you find Halamshiral?"

She wanted to say, ' _I think it's gorgeous and I want to steal your solid gold candleholders'_ or _'Fine, except for the state of your servants,'_ or, _'I've seen better',_ but she couldn't reveal that she's a thief, revolutionary, or an ass, so she went with;

"My words cannot do this place justice, Majesty."

"Your humble nature does you credit, Inquisitor. Feel free to enjoy the ballroom and all its pleasures. We look forward to watching you dance."

Sensing that this was the end of their little parlay, Adalyn smiled and gave a bow, as was custom, and moved away to leave the center of attention.

Liliana caught her just as she was about to disappear into the crowd,

"Meet me in the salon, quietly." She whispered and broke away.

Adalyn waited, mingled, and then slipped away through the doors, meeting both Liliana and Krem at a chaise and loveseat by a small tea table.

She sat down in the chair and Liliana settled on the loveseat, Krem took up a guard's position by their side as they began to talk.

"What did the Duke say?" Liliana asked in hushed tones,

"He points the finger at Ambassador Briala."

 _And the bulge in his pants is pointed at you._

Dazai added.

 _Oh, shut it._

"The Ambassador is up to something, but she can't be our focus. The best place to strike at Celene is from her side. The Empress is fascinated by mysticism, seeing the future, speaking to the dead—that sort of rubbish."

 _Seeing the future isn't…never mind._

Liliana spoke to her of an Occult Advisor and how her suspicions were pinned on her.

"Both leads point to the guest wing. It's a promising place to start. I'll coordinate with our spies to see if we can come up with anything better. I will be in the ballroom if you need me." Liliana said, and then looked up at Krem. "Why don't you take your 'Tevinter lover' to find more privacy? Hm?" She said raising her voice slightly and rising to pick up more leads from the gossip in the ballroom.

Adalyn watched her go, then sighed.

When she looked back up, she realized there was a proffered hand an arm's reach away. Krem was holding out his hand and smiling; his hazel eyes were warm and fixed on her.

She smiled first sappily at him; her heart doing flips, then realized her face probably looked to mooshy with love, so she changed it to a flirtatious and mischievous look as she took his hand and stood.

She took a step away and tugged on his outstretched arm, beckoning for him to come with her.

"Come on, Lover. The assassin isn't going to wait for us to find them."

* * *

 **Hello! I'm not dead (yet)! And no, this isn't the end of the Winter Palace segment, but it is part 1 of 2. I wrote about five versions of this chapter, and I finally finished editing and decided this one was the one I liked the most, so here you are! I hope you liked this part and are eager to read the second (It will be posted within the week, I promise.)**

 **S.T.**


	17. I Know I Do

After much climbing, stealing into secret passages, ducking through darkened doorways, opening locked doors and darting inside, they found themselves in a predicament; someone else was coming into the library.

"Shit!" Adalyn hissed in panic and pulled Krem quickly over to a wall and backed herself against it, pressing him close with her hands on his back.

The slightly drunk Lord and his giddy Lady stumbled around the corner with their masks only half-on and holding partly empty punch glasses.

Krem had his knee pressed up against her inner thighs from the way they were standing and he could feel the rough brush of the fabric of her underthings against his pant leg. He blushed and she reached down with one hand to grip his thigh and bring his knee higher by a few centimeters before throwing that arm back over his neck.

He felt her heat resting on his knee through the fabric his pant leg and he felt his mind go numb. Her breath was on his neck, both hot and enticing. His hands found her hips, pinning her in place to the library wall. He then ground himself up against her, not checking the strength of the motion.

Adalyn gasped, "Ah! Krem, don't…"

Her breathy voice carried through the semi-darkness and made his heart race more "Don't stop!" She cried, her fingers raking across the back of his uniform.

A clang sounded as one of the intruders knocked over a metal candle stand by accident. Krem and Adalyn stopped making noise and turned their heads to the nobles, pretending to notice them for the first time.

Realizing they had also been discovered, the drunken couple winced and backed away slowly,

"Oh, sorry! We didn't know there would be… Excuse us!" They tittered and flitted off quickly back into the lighted salon.

They waited with bated breath a few moments until they were sure they were gone until relaxing. Krem backed away a few steps as Adalyn adjusted her dress.

"Pardon me if I…" Krem started to apologize; his actions had surprised him, but so had hers. He had no idea such little prompting from her could make him want to… He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, then stopped moving once he caught the look Adalyn was giving him.

She had a dazed look on her face, a slight blush lingering as she played with the velvet of her dress in her hands. She seemed lost in bliss at the given moment, in her own giddy paradise.

"Are you feeling…?" Krem came closer and reached out a hand to check for a fever, like Stitches would always do, but her hand caught his, twisting the fingers to be laced through hers.

Their eyes met.

Maker, never had he wanted to kiss her this badly before now.

Her smile was relaxed and her movements languid as she caught his other hand and spun him around with her a couple times. He went with her movements and his head spun as the dim light from the windows blurred into the balcony blurred into the books until all that was left in his vision were the stars in her eyes.

"Promise me you'll save me a dance later." She said excitedly, once they had stopped spinning.

"Will we have time to?" He asked, almost laughing from the whole spontaneity of it all.

"Perhaps," She said with a shrug.

The movement of her shoulders drew his eyes to her neck where some of her hair had fallen out of their pins in rebellious wisps and curls.

He snorted and reached to pluck the pins from her hair, "Sit down and let me fix your hair, your spinning has caused some damage, I imagine."

He sat first on a chair by the light from the window and she sat in a low-backed chair in front as he combed her hair with his fingers and began to braid the almost shoulder-length strands and pin them back into place.

"How do you know how to braid hair?" Adalyn asked, breaking the silence.

"I used to have long hair of my own, when I was little." He said, not choosing to go into too much detail.

"I can't imagine you with long hair, Krem!" Adalyn said with a laugh and patiently waited for him to finish before standing up ad gathering her skirts.

"Though, I'd think you're handsome no matter what hairstyle you have!"

Krem smiled and held out a hooked arm to play the escort back in the salon.

She looped her arm through his and led the way back into the light.

As they exited the darkened library and stepped down the stairs, Adalyn noticed that at the foot of those stairs was someone whom she knew she had to confront before the night was over.

"Ah! Grandmere! Comment ça va?" Adalyn beamed and swept a small curtsy to the woman once she had reached the marbled bas of the stairs.

The woman had close-cropped graying, albeit chestnut hair and skin beginning to show signs of age, and yet she bore in with dignity and pride, her posture straight as a military commanders (except for The Iron Bull's. Krem knew for a fact that his posture was terrible… unless he was trying to impress Madame Vivienne or Dorian Pavus.) Her grandmother seemed an imposing woman at the very least.

"Adaline-Victoire Chastian, you disappear for ten years without so much as a letter to your _only_ living family and when you _suddenly_ appear in society again you are the center of all the trouble of Thedas." The woman sneered, her blue eyes under the mask flicking up and down Adalyn's body in distaste.

"And you have the _gall_ to use my titles, use my name, and take advantage of _my_ connections. I raised you better than that child; _make your own_." She bitterly spat.

Adalyn seemed about to duck her head down in shame like a scolded child until he saw her pinch the inside of her arm, fire rising in her eyes with the pain. "Yes, I did have the audacity to use your titles, your name, your contacts to get what I wanted; The Templars. And now with them under my thumb and with the title of Inquisitor mine, I'm not sure I have any more need to steal what is rightfully yours." Adalyn said cheekily, bringing her gaze up to meet the woman's and holding it.

The woman titled her head to the side, studying Adalyn again. "You have become an unmanageable, ungrateful girl from your time away. A spoiled brat who has her way with her way with whomever she pleases in the shadowy nooks of a respectable palace."

She turned her attention to Krem and a chill ran up his spine as the burning gaze ran him up and down.

"And your Tevinter swain here is…Hm," She made a thoughtful noise, and her gaze seemed to soften. "Chesnutt hair," She remarked, reaching up and cupping Krem' chin in her hand, tilting his head from side to side, looking at his hair, his face. She didn't release his face even when she looked to Adalyn again, "So I can expect brown-haired great-grandchildren as is tradition, despite your horrid hair color?"

"Grandmere!" Adalyn hissed, showing embarrassment in her twisting her skirt with her shaking fists. A slight smile flickered across the woman's lips before being brought into a puckering frown.

"You made a witty show at the greetings, be sure you do not fail in all the other trails of the ballroom." She said curtly and turned to walk away, but she paused slightly, "I will be watching, Adaline."

"Yes, Grandmere." Adalyn nodded and bobbed a slight curtsy, her composure regained.

The Duchess of Chastain then continued on walking to the ballroom doors at the other end of the hall as if nothing had happened.

"She doesn't seem to like you very much," Krem stated, watching Adalyn heave a sigh of relief once she was gone.

"I am, by far, her favorite grandchild." Adalyn corrected, "If you thought that tongue lashing she gave me was bad, you should hear what she says to some of the Council of Heralds!"

"She is just… intense." She said. "A bit like a dragon, I suppose: powerful, awe-inspiring, but better at a very long distance."

A bell rung through the palace, signaling the next dance.

"We must head back to the ballroom. It would be suspicious if I were absent nearly all the dances." Adalyn said, taking Krem's arm once more.

…

"Inquisitor Chastain,"

The call of Adalyn's title carried softly to where Krem and Adalyn stood arm in arm at the punch table.

Adalyn turned to the approaching woman with a smile and swept curtsy.

"We met only briefly. I am Grand Duchess Florianne of Chalons, welcome to my party."

Adalyn cocked her head to the side with a charming smile, "How could anyone forget such a lovely hostess? Is there something I can help you with, Your Grace?"

"Indeed you can," The Grand Duchess replied, "I believe tonight you and I are both concerned with the actions of… a certain person."

She indicated for Adalyn to follow her with a graceful movement. She led Adalyn with Krem in tow to the stairs to the ballroom floor.

The Grand Duchess stopped and said, her voice more hushed, "Come, dance with me. Spies will not hear us on the dance floor."

Adalyn didn't hesitate to accept, "Very well, shall we dance, Your Grace?" she held out an arm, acting as the escort.

Grand Duchess Florianne took her arm and nodded, "I'd be delighted."

Adalyn took the Duchess down to the dance floor as Grand Enchanter Vivienne and Seeker Cassandra came over to stand beside Krem by the gilded railing to watch the pair dance.

"Is that the Duchess with the Inquisitor?" The Seeker gasped, "Two women dancing?! How would that…"

The dance began and Adalyn started… leading.

Vivienne laughed out loud and gripped the railing, "Her stubborn dancing habits became useful!"

Krem watched in awe as Adalyn navigated the dance floor with practiced ease, leading the Duchess in time to the music gracefully.

He could see her and the Duchess' lips moving, but he couldn't read their conversation from where he stood.

They moved to the center of the dance floor and suddenly Adalyn swung the Grand Duchess in her arms and dipped her. Applause and approving murmurs struck up around the room at the move. They walked formally to the end of the dance floor, bowed, then parted.

Krem anticipated Adalyn to rejoin him where he waited by the second floor balcony, but she seemed to have other plans.

She briskly made her way to the other side of the ballroom on the second floor to one of the doors leading to the outside balconies overlooking the garden.

When he determined her destination he realized why she had wanted to go there, Grand Duke Gaspard ad slipped through that doorway, escaping the ballroom only moments before.

Krem excused himself from the presence of the other Inquisition representatives and headed in the direction of the door as well, watching Adalyn make it there before him and exit the ballroom.

As he approached, he heard the strains of a conversation between Adalyn and the Grand Duke on the balcony.

"I did not anticipate my sister whisking you away into a dance before I got the chance, Lady Adaline."

' _Lady Adaline'? He's using her Orlisian name without her formal title, are they close?_

He stopped before walking through the door to give them a little privacy. Krem was about to walk away when he heard Adalyn giggle in a way that made his stomach turn.

"Your sister and I talked…" Adalyn said.

"Hm?" The leisurely drawl from the Grand Duke made him sound like the cat that caught the canary. And that could not be good.

Krem couldn't help it; he wanted to know what was going on. He walked briskly past the open doorway, peaking for a second as he passed by. What he saw was shocking to say the least: Adalyn stood facing the open air and the Grand Duke stood next to her, his arm circling her waist with familiarity.

He felt compelled to rush out there and use force to separate them, but he decided to trust Adalyn and act for the meantime like this was for the mission. Adalyn could be flirting with him to garner more information, right?

He moved to the other side and waited by the door and continued listening in on their conversation.

"And what surprised me is how unsupportive your own sister is!"

"What?" Gaspard seemed taken aback from this news.

"Oh, yes. She seemed to think you were trying to pull a coup tonight, not that I believed her. Not like you would try such a thing, right, Gaspard?" She laughed.

A pregnant pause followed in the conversation.

"Gaspard?" Adalyn's beckon for the truth was innocent-sounding enough to not alert Gaspard to any actual prying.

"Oh, ah, no. I would never do such a thing." The Grand _Liar_ struggled to say.

"I thought so." Adalyn said, sounding contented. "Your generals on the field made you sound so honorable and strong, like the ideal man. I'd hate to be disappointed."

"And I hope you aren't, my Lady." He purred.

 _Oh, this is it._

Krem marched out the door and walked in on the Duke with his face in Adalyn's neck and his arms _still_ around his waist.

He struggled to keep his face controlled at the sight as he cleared his throat to alert them to his presence.

They turned as one and noticed at once who had interrupted their moment.

The Duke sneered while he studied him, leaning his weight against his gloved hand on the balcony.

The balcony that Krem sorely wanted to push him off of.

"So this is the young Tevinter you have been… spending time with in the darker parts of the palace." He said, glaring daggers at Krem while Krem entertained the idea of having his maul and squashing this man like a bug.

"Of course, I know that your supposed 'relationship' is just a cover for looking into some of those Ambassador matters we discussed.

Turning to Adalyn with a smile and tender kiss to the back of her hand, which he held for a moment longer than comfortable, Gaspard said, "And, of course, my Lady, I know that our relationship will continue to be a forthcoming and _enduring_ one."

"Will it? Who can ever tell?" Adalyn smiled, her features betraying none of her real thoughts.

This was a different Adalyn from the girl Krem knew. She tended to wear her heart on her sleeve, this Adalyn was coy, poised, and a deadly social poison. It was another side of her that made Krem appreciate her complexity. He knew that even if he spent the rest of his life with her, he would never feel bored.

Krem gave the Duke a curt nod and offered a hand to Adalyn, "May we, Inquisitor?"

She smiled and took his hand, letting him lead her almost to the doorway before twisting to look one last time at the Duke.

Krem craned his neck to see Adalyn blow the Duke a kiss. He shrugged it off with a roll of his eyes as the Duke was no doubt (in Krem's opinion) melting in his frilly underpants.

She then turned back and allowed him to escort her back into the crowd of whispering gowns and rising music.

…

She was mad now. No doubt about it.

Thank Andraste that Adalyn had let Josephine take her skirts, which clipped off in the back.

Because people were exploding.

Now Adalyn only wore the armor underneath with the flap of fabric in the front and back. And there was blood everywhere now, all over her golden armor and her pale arms.

When Adalyn found the first of the servants' dead bodies, there had been a hiss of anger. The next few caused her fist to go quite violently through a plaster wall. The next one who was actually killed in front of them before they got close enough made Adalyn start making the assassin's blood burst through their skin at her touch.

Krem fought with a sword and shied, which; admittedly, he wasn't as proficient with as a maul. He had to ask The Iron Bull when he got back to train him in shield techniques.

Along with Cassandra and Vivienne, Adalyn took him in tow as she rent a path littered with blood and body parts. It seemed to Krem that this was a relatively new power of Adalyn's, she couldn't fully control it.

Done chasing the assassins, they then came upon a courtyard with a rift.

It seemed controlled, no demons appeared when they approached, which Krem took as a good sign, until he noticed the row of archers aiming right at them with their fully drawn bows.

"Inquisitor. What a pleasure. I wasn't certain you'd attend." Grand Duchess Florianne said dryly from her perch on the high balcony overlooking the courtyard.

"You're such a challenge to read, I wasn't sure if you had taken my bait." The Duchess added.

Adalyn tossed her now loose hair and smirked, "I fear that I'm a little busy at the moment if you were looking for a dance partner."

"Yes, I see that. It is a pity that you did not save one final dance for me." The Duchess said with a small smile of her own. "It was kind of you to fall right into my trap so willingly. I was so tired of your meddling. Corypheus insisted that the Empress die tonight and I would hate to disappoint him."

Adalyn merely grinned, "Tired of playing second –fiddle to your brother and even third-fiddle to Celene?"

"In their darkest dreams, no one could have imagined that I would assassinate Celene myself. All I need is to keep you out of the ballroom long enough to strike."

She seemed to consider them for a moment before adding, "A pity you'll miss the rest of the ball Inquisitor. They'll be talking of it for years." She said with fake sympathy as she moved away toward the double doors. "Kill her, and bring me her marked hand." She ordered the archers.

She opened the door and strode through, "It will make a fine gift for the master."

The doors closed.

The bowstrings tightened.

And the rift and the archers exploded.

…

"Where are the Advisors?" She demanded, striding through the ballroom crowd on the second floor in nothing but her golden armor.

Krem looked around from his height and caught sight of Josephine and the others. He guided her to them and took back the emerald green velvet, clipping it back on Adalyn's dress and guarding any nosy nobles from wondering if the red on Adalyn's outfit was blood.

"What is the plan? We need to-" Cullen began to talk when Adalyn cut him off and brushed everyone off of her.

Her eyes were focused on The Grand Duchess, who had re-entered the ballroom and was now making the evening's last formal procession up the staircase to the balcony where the Empress Celene stood.

"Wait here, Cullen, I'm going to have a word with the Grand Duchess." Adalyn said calmly and began moving towards the stairs farthest from the Empress that would take her across the ballroom floor to reach the platform the Duchess stood on.

Cullen protested, but it appeared Adalyn had stopped listening. Josephine wrung her hands nervously and offered up a prayer to the Maker. Liliana scanned the Inquisitor with her eyes and muttered, "What is she doing?"

All eyes were on Adalyn as she crossed the deserted ballroom floor alone.

All ears heard when she called, "We owe the court one more show, your Grace."

Both Briala and Gaspard backed away from Florianne and Adalyn, sensing the elevated tension the made the air seem like fully charged lightening.

"Inquisitor," The Duchess greeted softly.

Adalyn swept an arm out in a grand gesture, (Krem was glad he had stopped to wet a handkerchief with fountain water and a lemon he stole from the fruit table and wipe the blood off of her arms), and smiled.

"The eyes of every noble in the Empire are upon us, your Grace remember to smile."

She began stalking up the stairs towards the Duchess, who seemed to shirk in fright.

Josephine's face paled by two shades, "She's threatening the Grand Duchess! Maker have mercy on us all!"

"This is your party. You would want them to think you've lost control."

"Who would not be delighted to speak with you, Inquisitor." Florianne winced and took another step back.

"I seem to recall you saying…Oh, what was it again?" Adalyn was toying with her, the court was loving it, "'All I need is to keep you out of the Ballroom long enough to strike'."

Adalyn began to circle the Grand Duchess on the platform, "When your archers failed to kill me in the courtyard, I feared you would save me this last dance."

Scandalized gasps came from the nobility around Krem; he ignored them, leaning farther over the balcony to catch every moment of the game Adalyn was playing.

"It's so easy to lose your good graces; you even framed your brother for the murder of a council Emissary. It was an ambitious plan: Gaspard, Celene, and the entire Council of Heralds…All under one roof."

"This is very entertaining, but you do not imagine anyone would believes in your wild stories?" Florianne fished for bluffs.

"That would be a matter for a judge to decide, Cousin." Empress Celene marked coolly.

"Gaspard?" Florianne looked over to her brother for aid, "You cannot believe this! You know I would never…"

But because of the bait Adalyn had planted: suspicions of his sister's loyalty, he did not support her, and turned away, walking up the stairs to the left. Briala followed suit as two guards came down to the platform.

"Gaspard?" Florianne cried unbelievingly at his turned back.

"You lost this fight ages ago, your Grace. You're just the last to find out." Adalyn stated thinly as the guards closed in around the sobbing Duchess.

"Your Imperial Majesty," Adalyn addressed Celene formally, "I think we should speak in private, elsewhere."

…

In the end, Celene and Briala had given a speech together about triumph and change. Elves in Orlais would receive proper and fair treatment and could now hold places at court.

Krem heard whispers that Celene and Briala were holding hands during the speech. It made him smile, and he wished that the rumor that they were together was true. If so, he wished the both of them happiness.

He approached the door to the outside balcony where Adalyn stood with Morrigan, Enchanter of the Imperial Court.

They finished talking and Morrigan smiled contently, brushing her crimson skirts with her pale hands and gliding out the door, accompanied by her magic lights. She smirked at Krem as he walked by her to take her place by Adalyn's side at the railing.

"That was something," He said by way of greeting.

"Something indeed," Adalyn echoed, "And during the span of time it took me to dishonor the Grand Duchess, damn the Grand Duke, and give an awe-inspiring speech the punch ran dry: scandalous." She said teasingly, turning her head to look at him.

They shared a warm look and turned back to stare at the lantern-lit surroundings and the courtyard below before Krem asked, "Did you want that dance now?"

Adalyn drew back from the balcony suddenly and stared at him in surprise. Krem hunched his shoulders a little awkwardly and mumbled,

"I'm sorry I don't know how ta dance, but I can…"

"No, no!" Adalyn affirmed quickly, waving her hands, "It's alright," She said with a timid smile.

She carefully took his hands in hers and led him to the center of the balcony. She placed his right hand on her back and took his left and in hers, placing her left hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry," She said softly when a hesitant look flashed across his face, "I'll lead." She snorted, "I'm good at that."

And so she began to tow him through the box-shaped steps until they were moving in unison twirling across the balcony with abandon.

Who cares if they bumped into more than their fair share of plant boxes, or if the strained but gaudy music from the ballroom clashed with the simple chords Maryden was playing in the courtyard below? Adalyn was laughing, in his arms, and covered in the blood of their enemies and the gentle light of the stars and moon in the heavens; the moment was perfect.

And it could only be more perfect if—

The whirling stopped suddenly and he gazed down at Adalyn in breathless confusion.

"Stop me if you don't like this," Was all she said before a sharp tug of his uniform collar drew him down closer to her height and her soft lips met his for the first time.

His mind ran in circles before fully comprehending that this was happening, once he did he let his eyes fall closed.

He tasted hints of the cloves from the punch along with the traces of beeswax and carmine leftover from her lipstick and the orange zest form the petit-fours that was probably still stuck in her teeth.

And he loved every maker-damned moment of her lips sliding on his. He loved the small puff of breath she breathed out when drawing away, the flutter of her eyelashes when she hesitantly looked up to take in his reaction… He loved everything about her, he loved…

"I love you," He breathed, his hand on her neck came up to lovingly move some of the loose copper stands of hair that had landed in her face.

She moved her mouth but no sound came out and her eyes grew wider with every second.

"I-" She managed, "I like you a lot too, like," She looked down and began fidgeting with her skirts again, "A really, really, really, really lot… Is what I'm saying!" She mumbled weepily.

Krem bent down to check her face for tears in a panic, "Are you…"

Adalyn looked up at the same time and their heads collided, and not in the very romantic way. Her head had come up and hit Krem squarely on the nose.

His nose buzzed and stung as he reeled back in shock from the initial impact.

"Maker! That hurt! I'm sorry, Krem! Are you hurt? You're probably hurt more, here-" Adalyn fumbled instantly to help him, pulling her handkerchief out (the one Krem had given her) in case there was bleeding.

Fortunately, after checking, it was revealed that there was no blood and that his nose was a pretty as ever. And that left Adalyn wringing the kerchief in her hands nervously avoiding eye-contact with him again.

"And I'm sorry I didn't say… I just. Really like you and it's embarrassing when we're alone and I'm trying to say that I-I…" She fidgeted.

Krem snorted, putting his hand quickly over his mouth to try to catch his laughter before it all came spilling out.

She was embarrassed to tell him that she loved him back because they were alone?

"Would you say it if there were people around here?" Krem asked, trying to make her meet his eyes. He settled of tilting her chin up with a finger to get her to look at him. "Would you?" He asked softer than before.

She drew back from him rather dramatically, went through the double doors and marched a few feet into the gathered general assembly. She gathered a huge breath, and before anyone could stop her, shouted,

"I love Cremisius Aclassi with all my heart! He is a team great leader with skills beyond combat. I hear he's rather good with children and good at baking, and I find that VERY ATTRACTIVE! I also think his hair is cute and that he is tall and formidable in battle!" She widely announced to the entire ballroom.

"And I wouldn't want any other man-" She tuned and winked saucily at a few noble women, "Or lady in my life. So, sorry about your intended plans for my future betrothal to your son, daughter, cousin, you, et cetera… But they have been officially wrecked. Thank you, and have a wonderful evening my Lords and Ladies, Counts and Countesses, Dukes and Duchesses, Servants, Ambassadors, and Empress; and may you find love. And if not love: you will always have booze!"

Laughter came at her last remark, along with a fair share of weeping ladies.

Adalyn whirled around and held out an arm for him to take her hand.

Once he did and she wound their fingers together, she grinned once more at the gathered assembly, and then back at him.

She leaned in slightly and said quietly, "I hope this is what you wanted, Krem."

Krem raised his eyebrows and murmured, "I didn't think it would be quite _this_ public."

Adalyn snorted and nudged him in the side, "You know you love me."

 _I know I do._

Krem thought quietly to himself as the nobility beseeched Adalyn with various questions on the details of the night, the Inquisition's plans for the future, and the chances of her returning to court to entertain them further.

Through all this she smiled and held his hand until the party, and the night, ended.


	18. Kids and Drunken Kisses

Adalyn staggered through the courtyard of Skyhold drunk on nothing but laughter. She had a one year old clinging to her leg and a three year old hanging from her neck. They were Rina's little girl and her step-daughter.

Morrigan's son, Kieran tagged along behind Adalyn with an amused look on his face, unusual for him.

Adalyn slogged her weighted leg a step closer to the tavern and stepped with the other and lugged her arse through the entrance.

"Krem! Help me!" She called blindly into the building.

Not soon after, a pair of hands gently pried the three year old girl's hands away from Adalyn's neck.

She turned, relived that she could once more breathe normally, and shot Krem a thankful smile.

He adjusted Rina's step daughter so that she sat on his forearm and held her to his side, which seemed to agree with the little girl because she very quickly began to fall asleep on his shoulder.

Krem and Adalyn went to go sit down near the back of the tavern where The Iron Bull typically sat, and where they had more seats. They sat down and Adalyn peeled the baby off of her leg to sit her on her lap.

Kieran sat on a stool next to Adalyn and eyed The Iron Bull with unhidden curiously.

"Where did you get these children?" Krem asked, adjusting his shoulder so the little girl could curl up and nap in the crevice between his chest and the armrest.

"Oh, I stole them." Adalyn said blandly, her face blank.

The Iron Bull snorted in amusement and slouched back in his chair. "Right, Boss. Why would you steal children? They're messy."

Adalyn turned to him excitedly, "One day I want enough of them to make an army!"

"An army?" The Iron Bull stared unbelievingly at her.

"Yes."

"Made out of children?"

"Yes."

"Phew," The Iron Bull whistled, "That's a lot of kids, Boss. And I mean A LOT. You going to give birth to all of those?"

Adalyn laughed brightly and mused out loud, "Maybe some, but defiantly not all. There are plenty of orphans around Thedas who need a home, I'll just use the Inquisition's or my grandmere's resources to help them out."

The Iron Bull chuckled and raised his tankard, "That's called an orphanage, Boss, not a home. And if you want kids through pregnancy, I'm not sure Krem helps much."

Krem seemed uncomfortable when he shifted, Adalyn thought it might be the sleeping girl on his chest, who she offered to take if he wanted, he waved her off. Maybe it wasn't that?

Cole materialized on the seat next to Krem suddenly, causing Krem to jolt a little waking the girl, and Bull to tense.

"You were wondering. _'I want to know what he thinks'_ , the thoughts are twisting in knots. _'I can't give her that, she wants it, but I can't'._ " Cole mumbled and looked around nervously, avoiding eye-contact.

Adalyn felt even more mystified by Cole's observation and looked at Krem inquisitively, prodding silently for an explanation, but it was Bull who spoke up.

"So, if you don't know, you two haven't gone all the way yet." Bull remarked.

Adalyn looked from Cole to Bull and back to Krem.

"What is going on? Does everyone know something I don't? Give me what?" Adalyn asked exasperatedly, the baby on her lap crawling up her chest to lay down and pluck at her hair with drool-covered fingers.

"She's not usually this dense, just tell her, Krem. She will find out sooner or later." Bull prompted, nodding to his Lieutenant.

Adalyn looked wildly between the two while pulling the wet fingers from her loose hair. "What? Is Krem alright? You are fine. You aren't going to die, right? Right?!"

Krem sighed, "It's nothin like that…" He muttered, looking up at the ceiling and avoiding her eyes. "I'm just… I was born a girl."

Adalyn blinked and settled back in her chair, "Oh, is that all? I already knew that, I just didn't think it mattered very much to you."

Krem had gotten a similar reaction from some of the Chargers before and yet it still surprised him even now. Adalyn noticed his surprised look and gave him a comforting smile.

Bull nodded, "Let me guess, you knew the first time you found out he bathes frequently and with soap as often as possible?"

"That's _hygiene_ , Bull." Krem snapped back.

Adalyn snickered and nudged Krem's left arm to get his attention, "You like lavender soap the most, right? You smell like it often, I like it."

"For me, a bath is a bucket of water, dump, and go." Bull said and Adalyn made a sound of agreement.

"You two are disgusting." Krem remarked.

Adalyn and Bull rolled their eyes playfully at the insult and ordered drinks. Soon, Kieran began to pepper The Iron Bull with questions until the subject turned to Par Vollen.

Eventually Rina came for her drowsy children and Kieran eventually bid farewell and shifted into the form of a crow to fly out the door and back to his mother.

After dark, the Chargers began to file into the Tavern for a drink, gathering around their boss.

With all the Chargers gathered around Bull finally leaned forward to hit Krem with that joke.

"How are you doin', Krem de la Crème?"

Krem groaned into his hands and Adalyn laughed in joyful amusement.

Krem peeked out through his hands and her and shot her a betrayed look, "Not you too,"

"I think it's… sweet." Adalyn viciously grinned back and raised an eyebrow, "Like Krem-Glace."

The Iron Bull gasped in delight, "I hadn't thought of that one! Gotta branch out in Orlisain words more!"

"That's the Chief, loves his nicknames…" Krem muttered, and took his hands down from his face.

"Hey, when I was growing up, my name was just this series of numbers. We all give each other nicknames under the Qun." Bull said in defense.

"They ever wear shirts under the Qun, Chief?" Krem snarked, "Or do they just run around binding their breasts like that?"

"It's a harness, Krem." Bull said darkly.

"Yes! For your pillowy man-bosoms." Krem joked lightheartedly, "Let me know if you need help binding. You could really chisel something out of that overstuffed look."

Adalyn playfully nudged Bull in the arm so that he began to shake off the glare Krem put on his face.

"Anyway, here's what's left of the Chargers. Or, what's left of the rest." Bull said chuckled, "A lot of them went looking for stronger drinks. We've got Rocky and Skinner there- and over there is Stitches, Dalish, and Grim. Crazy bunch of assholes, but they're mine." He said fondly.

Adalyn felt overjoyed that she was meeting with the Chargers officially after she and Krem got together, maybe she would see yet another side of him.

After some questions, she found out, to her delight, that Skinner was Orlisian. She immediately began chatting away in their mother tongue and Skinner at first seemed startled at being talked to, she didn't seem used to pleasant conversation. But with some prodding from Bull, Krem, and Dalish, she began to stammer out blunt responses to Adalyn's questions about Alienage life in Orlais.

"You know I used to live in one in Kirkwall?" Adalyn said, breaking her stream of Orlisian to comment to the rest of the group, including Krem, who was only semi-fluent in the language.

Skinner raised her arched brows and tilted her head to the side to garner a better look at Adalyn's slightly pointed ears.

"I took you for a shem, messere, it seems I was mistaken."

Adalyn shrugged, "I'm half of one, anyway. I actually know more about my human lineage than my elvan. It's sad but true. I also don't know much about elvan history, even though the Inquisition is one of the leading research hubs on elvan knowledge, history, and magic."

Dalish piped up from where she was playing Stitches in a game of chess, "You ordered that arcane university to be built here, yes? That will be good for mages—not that I know any."

Krem snorted, "Yes, and that staff you carry is…?"

Dalish rolled her eyes, "It's a bow!"

…

After drinking and laughing with the Chargers, Adalyn quietly called Maryden over to a private table to talk.

When they sat down Adalyn ordered a few mugs of tea and Maryden set her instrument down on the seat next to her.

Once the tea arrived, Adalyn and Maryden sat in silence drinking and listening to the Singquisition's latest catastrophe, otherwise known as; their most recent choir piece.

Adalyn realized she had to say something, so she finally reached across the table and took Maryden's hand in hers and turned it over palm up and placed a solid gold ring there.

Maryden inspected the ring and turned it over, seeing the imprinted seal and gasping.

"Adaline, this is-"

"Yours now." Adalyn said, taking her mg back up again and drinking.

Maryden stared unbelievingly at the ring and looked back up to Adalyn.

"How? Is aunt…?"

"Dead." Adalyn nodded grimly.

"The D'Onterre's seemed to have been dead for many years." Adalyn sighed, trying to spare Maryden the gory details on how she had found their aunt, uncle, and cousin.

"I have already written to Grandmere." Adalyn continued, "The place is yours if you would return to nobility."

Maryden narrowed her eyes, "Is this bait to make me another one of your pawns in the Game? Or do you tire of my songs?"

Adalyn shook her head tiredly, "I just wanted the chateau to go to family, and Grandmere has long since lived anywhere but her apartments in Montsimmard."

Maryden turned the signet ring over in her fingers and thought, "What about our uncle's family? Wouldn't they want the place? It is their grandmother's chateau."

"I'm the one who cleared the place, and I already contacted the remaining D'Onterre's. None of them seemed to want anything to do with it."

"How… exactly, did they die, cousin?" Maryden asked hesitantly. "Grandmere never spoke of why contact had been cut off."

A blink of an eye later and Cole was standing next to Maryden, looking down at her.

"May I…sit?" He asked softly, carefully, like Adalyn had taught him to do.

She had told him that people like it if you get on their level when you talk to them. _"If they are sitting, sit. If they are standing, stand. You can help them better if they are more willing to listen."_

He was evidently following that direction, and sat when Maryden nodded and moved her instrument off of the seat beside her.

Once that had been cleared, he reached out and touched one of her braids, "You should stop bathing with those scented oils. They don't help. They remind you too much of a childhood lost, echoing ballrooms, a gloved hand. Him and what we could have been. Lies tinged and disappointments made, but resolution gained. You are strong now, I hope you see that. You can _help_." Cole said his eyes never leaving Maryden's as he spoke earnestly.

"I… thank you, Cole." Maryden said softly in return, catching his hand in hers and stroking his pale and scared knuckles with her thumb.

Cole ducked his head down in a rather human gesture and said almost distractedly as an afterthought, "They died by anger. The cook taught me that the lid on a pot of boiling water will fly off… like that. They put her in the tower and put the lid on. She boiled. And when she burst, everyone came crashing down."

Adalyn tried her best to recount what had happened and filled in the details. "Nanette was a mage; her parents … locked her up to keep their 'shame' hidden. She became a blood mage, like me, but… the result was not as fortunate."

"Oh, sweet little Nanette! No!" Maryden sobbed, he hands over her eyes to keep the tears from being overly evident to the whole Tavern.

Cole looked ruffled, raising a shaking hand to make Maryden forget, but held still at Adalyn's glare.

"No, Cole. We need to try and figure something else out this time." Adalyn saw how uncomfortable Cole looked as he lowered his hand, and her gaze softened, "Help me, please."

Adalyn stood up from her chair and boosted herself up to sit on the table. She began to pull pins one by one out of her cousin's hair and put them carefully on the table in a pile.

Cole began to pick up on her cues and started to run his skittering fingers over Maryden's shoulders and arms in a strangely comforting gesture.

Adalyn thought for the second time that day how oddly human Cole acted at times. But she also wondered how Maryden could remember Cole so well when most just forgot.

"Mary…" Adalyn began again softly, "I'm going to try to break the connection between Dazai and me. I'm going to try unbecoming a bloodmage. Listen to me, Mary, I'm going to try for you…" Adalyn glanced up to catch sight of Krem, laughing and drinking with the other Chargers. "I can't have a family and be what I am. Be there for a cousin, have kids, get m-marr-" Adalyn broke off stuttering in embarrassment.

Maryden sniffed and snorted, then seemed to calm down further when Adalyn began running her fingers through her cousin's dark hair. After a while she sniffled and brought her head from her folded arms on the table up a little to look at Adalyn with tear-reddened eyes.

"Nanette had red hair like yours. You never knew her, but she was just as silly as you were, but in a different way."

Adalyn smiled and said, "Oh, yeah? I wonder where we both got our hair from. My mother and father both had brown hair, my grandfather was said to have very dark hair, and grandmere has brown as well, I don't know-"

"She dyes it."

The sudden announcement came as an utter shock to both cousins. Who silently looked up at Cole, who had blurted the unexpected observation.

"The stern lady wasn't always a lady. She was a girl with red hair once. When she went to court she changed it, thought she was growing up. When she saw another red haired girl, one of her own, she realized that having brown hair didn't make her grow up even a bit." Cole babbled in explanation.

Maryden was the first to begin giggling lightly and wetly.

Adalyn hissed a breath between clenched teeth, "Fucking dye? Make me feel like shit for years because of my damn hair color and she has the same fucking hair?! PISSING UNBELIEVABLE!" The anger gave ay to the humor of it all and she broke down into jovial laughter.

Krem broke away from the Chargers and came over to Adalyn, planting a kiss on her cheek in greeting.

"What's goin on over here?" He asked sounding a little tipsy and slinging an arm over Adalyn's shoulders.

From her advantaged height, she wrapped her legs around his waist and leaned in for a slightly off-kilter kiss on the lips and pulled back grinning.

"I'm nobly pissed at my blue-blooded grandmere and I want to punch her in the schnoz." Adalyn chuckled.

"Oh, is that all?" Krem said amusedly and brung his head to rest in the crook of his shoulder and began nuzzling in closer.

Adalyn absolutely loved it when he did this… but he never wanted to do this sort of thing in public unless he was very tipsy. It was time to get him to bed.

"Com'on, ya big baby." Adalyn tugged her lover from her and leapt from the table, still holding his hand.

She looked back at Maryden to check one last time if her cousin was doing alright.

She seemed to be doing just fine, now. She was gazing at Cole who was rambling off and recounting some story or another about rabbits. She was going to be fine.

Adalyn then turned her attention to Krem and tugged him along behind her on the way to her quarters.

She had stopped drinking when the Chargers started, and had taken swigs of tea the rest of the night. Krem might have let himself go a little more than usual tonight, drinking with his crew mates. And she wasn't drunk or tipsy at all, so she felt oddly reversed as she led him carefully up the stairs to her room.

She opened the door as quietly as possible, Krem was beginning to doze off as they walked and she didn't want to startle him awake too much.

Adalyn nudged him and tugged him until Krem stumbled his way up the stairs and over to her bed. She pushed him down onto it and knelt down to tug his boots off and fling them across the room somewhere.

She then flopped down onto the mattress beside him, kicking off her boots as well, and caught the scent of alcohol. She sniffed around at herself until she realized it was coming from Krem.

"You smell like booze." She sniggered and began tugging off his linen overshirt.

It was summer in full swing and she knew from experience that no one would want to sweat in their overclothes while trying to sleep.

As she was tugging it over his head (having successfully gotten his arms out first) Krem suddenly awoke in a panic, causing Adalyn to go flying to the bed to avoid kicking limbs.

She darted away and stood at the other side of the room, watching him with concern, "Are you alright? Krem? Can you hear me?"

The shirt had been cast aside somewhere in the bed sheets and Krem was left panting in wide-eyed fear, legs still clothes but splayed in panic, palms flat on the mattress, ready to push him up and off and away.

Adalyn came closer slowly and watched as recognition flashed across his features.

"Krem, are you alright?" She repeated, "If there's a problem, I'll get rid of it. Dragon? I'll fight it. Demon? I'll knock myself out and fight it in the Fade. Me? I'll throw myself out the window and explode. I can get rid of anything. You don't have to be scared. Please tell me, what do I need to fight to help you?"

Krem shuddered and curled his body inwards, holding his knees up to his chest in a vulnerable gesture.

Adalyn held her breath and reached out mentally to Dazai.

 _What does he want? What's going on? Can you hear anything?_

She asked in a flurry, giving Dazai limited time to answer.

 _You want me gone, and now you're asking for favors?!_

 _Dazai._

 _Alright, alright. He's remembering something… Drinks with fellows turned into a surprise attack. They went for his shirt first and crowed, "She really is a-"_

 _Thank you, Dazai. That will be all._

Adalyn cautiously stepped over to the bed and knelt by it, putting her hand on the mattress experimentally and making eye-contact with Krem's lowered gaze.

"Can I come onto the bed?" She asked.

A slight nod and she lightly hopped up and sat beside him.

"I drank too much once, I blacked out." He muttered, rubbing at one of his teary eyes with the palm of his hand.

"Yeah, I figured." She said quietly.

He opened his mouth, perhaps thinking about continuing, but he closed it, burying his head back into his arms.

"You don't have to talk about it." Adalyn said, bringing a tentative hand over to his head. "I'm going to touch you, is that alright?"

Krem moved his head in a slight movement that sort of resembled a nod and Adalyn took that as her signal.

She placed her fingers tenderly on the back of his head and began ruffling his hair and running her fingers trough the shorn places on the back and sides. She began placing light kisses in a trail down his neck and shoulders, earning her a slight giggle.

Adalyn drew back in surprise; Krem's shoulders were now slightly shaking from quiet laughter.

"Are you…ticklish?" She inquired in slight disbelief.

"A little." Krem admitted shrinking back a little from her touch when she reached out to test her new power over him.

"Oh, you're in for a world of tickling," Adalyn announced, pouncing on her lover and furiously began kissing every inch of skin that came too close, causing him to shake in panicked laughter.

He finally managed to push her off the bed and she went down, taking all the blankets with her.

They caught their breath and sobered up for the moment.

"Do you want to stay the night since I already dragged you up here?" Adalyn asked from her spot on the floor.

"Wh-" Krem began,

"We don't have to do anything! You are still a little boozed up, so you should drink some water and rest." Adalyn interrupted, standing up and pulling the blankets back onto the bed.

Krem slowly began to lie back on the bed cautiously, "Yeah,"

Adalyn went over to the closet and began rummaging, finally pulling out her prize triumphantly and tossing it over to Krem.

"You don't want to sleep in that binder, do you? Looks like that'd be uncomfortable, no matter how nicely you sewed it. You made that didn't you?" She began mindlessly chatting as she came back to the bed and fell down on it.

"Why do you have one of my shirts?" Krem asked, holding up the cambric to inspect it.

"I flat-out nicked one from you." Adalyn shrugged unapologetically.

Krem raised both eyebrows and huffed, beginning to undo the laces at the sides of the binder. He caught Adalyn still looking at him with wide eyes and smiled.

"What?"

"Oh!" Adalyn exclaimed overenthusiastically, "Is this a modesty thing? Are you shy? Do you want me to look away? If I see you topless how will you ever get married?!" And threw her hands across her eyes with a cheeky grin.

Krem continued taking the binder off and the sounds of shifting fabric as he putting the shirt over his head let Adalyn know she could open her eyes in a moment.

"Done?" She asked.

"Done." He said.

She opened her eyes and was surprised to not see much but a blur of his face close to hers. A moment later and his lips were on hers. The kiss was surprisingly firm and tasted slightly of tears and the sting of hard liquor, and he was warm, so warm. She felt like she could just melt away in his arms when he wrapped them around her shoulders.

She was the one to pull back first, even though she seriously loved the feeling of him. Not tonight. She set a cup of water in his hand and slipped out of the bed, dragging some of the sheets with her.

"I'm taking the couch tonight; we'll have fun some other night."

Krem chugged down the water and set it back on the bedside table, getting to his feet and ducking over quickly to give her a peck on the forehead.

"Goodnight, _Your Worship_." He said.

Adalyn glared up at him, a blush creeping onto her face, and the heat in her pants driving her even more crazy.

 _GAHHHH, no! Go away sexy thoughts! Think about anything but sex! UH, DUCKS!_

 _Ducks?_

 _SHADDAP DAZAI._

"Yeah, well, goodnight." She managed and retreated to the couch and drew the blankets over her body.

 _So. Are we touching ourselves tonight?_

Dazai asked.

 _No. He's too close. Let's respect boundaries, here._

Adalyn chided and curled up into herself as she attempted to get comfortable and forget about the metaphorical itch that metaphorically needed to be scratched.

Eventually, she began to hear Krem's quiet and even breathing as he slept, and she finally trusted herself to turn over and look at him.

She threw her leg over the side of the couch as she began contemplating various things of various importance, and eventually her drowsy mind turned to the promise she had made Maryden earlier that evening.

 _Do you really want to be rid of me that badly, Addie?_

 _I'm sorry, Dazai, but after what I saw with my cousin…. I can't. I have to be responsible for everyone here. Hawke and Stroud are counting on me to help the Grey Wardens, Red Templars are everywhere, and this thing with Calpurnia… I need to be good for the Inquisition. I have to be._

And as she drifted to sleep, soothed by the sight of her lover curled up in her bed and the sound of crickets who had nothing better to do but sing, Dazai watched her enter her dream-like version of the Fade and waited.

* * *

 **Hey guys! Snow here! Up here and coming is the next big vote: (SPOILERS) who is Adalyn going to leave in the Fade?**

 **1\. Hawke (leaving behind his husband, Fenris and best friend, Varric)**

 **2\. Stroud (leaving the Wardens weak to corruption)**

 **3\. Wild Card (This one diverges from cannon, but what the heck, haven't we already gone down that road. I'm not going to tell you what it entails, but I will let you know, it made my proof reader scream incoherently for an hour. In a good way or a bad way, I don't know. By the way, it's not Krem, rest easy. So if you want to be surprised, choose this one!)**

 **You have a few days before I begin writing this part of the chapter. So who will it be? Hawke? Stroud? Or the Wild Card?**


	19. A Kiss Like Rain

Her knuckles where white and her shoulders were set tensely: that was never a good sign.

Krem guarded her back with all he had, flinging Wardens away with his maul in sweeping movements. He crushed demons underneath the cudgel and kicked a Warden mage in the chest, sending him flying into a throng of his fellows and toppling them down like a house of cards.

Adalyn whirled and stabbed with her knives, dancing around the skirmishes using mostly momentum and less energy. She only ever used blood magic to reverse the magic cast by the mage-Wardens, and with each spell she struck down, her eyes grew darker.

Krem felt thrilled to be fighting by her side, but less than so about being in his first real battle since Haven. And unlike at Haven, Adalyn was not behaving like a radiant god-like commander, she was instead pale and shivering and clearly stressed. This was not his smiling Adalyn. The girl who leapt at her foes laughing and twirling in their midst, playing them like a game.

Yet she did her best to protect the Inquisition's forces, parleyed with the non-mage Wardens so that they fell back without a fight, and lead her small attack group to the Warden Commander Clarel.

Something had clearly been eating at her since that summer night in the tavern, but she refused to speak of it, instead she shut herself up with books and Dorian and Dagna and Solas. Hardcore research seemed very unlike anything Adalyn would do, she tended to feel her way through something to learn it, not study. A season had passed and Krem grew even more worried about his lover and the dark circles growing under her eyes.

They finally approached the Warden Commander with their small party: Hawke, Stroud, the Chief, Varric, and Cole.

Clarel, at the insistence of Erimond, began to go through with the ritual. But at some desperate plea from Adalyn amidst the chaos, she stopped.

Erimond saw the tide changing, and Krem feared for the worst.

"My master thought you might come here, Inquisitor. He sent me this to welcome you!" Erimond spat.

An ungodly shriek rang through the darkened skies as the very same arch-demon that Adalyn had faced in Haven swooped above their heads.

Adalyn charged up the stairs and away from the surviving Wardens to keep the blasts of energy the arch-demon sent roaring down out of their way.

Krem and the party followed, battling demons along with way until they reached the very top of the Warden fortress, where Clarel and Erimond seemed to be facing off.

The Dragon picked Clarel up in its jaws and shook the Warden like a rag doll, tossing her aside.

It landed and began pacing, it's black eyes fixed now intently on Adalyn, not paying attention to Clarel who was sprawled below it.

Adalyn looked like she might throw up.

Suddenly, a blast of wild electrical energy from Clarel stabbed into the arch-demon and it screamed, taking off in panic and flying unsteadily away towards a large rift that was just closing.

The combination of the blast and the force of the demon's take off cracked the weak stone beneath their feet and the tower of the fortress began to crumble.

Stroud nearly fell off the edge, Adalyn ran back for him and the party followed in spite of her yelling at them to run.

Krem felt the stone give way beneath his feet and realized their mistake, but it was too late.

They were all falling and falling and the wind rushed through his ears.

He held his eyes closed and waited for impact with the ground, but it never came.

…

When he opened his eyes, all he could see was green.

Not the good, earthy, leafy kind of green that you might see in nature, but a more sickly kind of green.

"No. No no no no no no. This is the Fade, but I am stuck. I can't—why can't I…? This place is wrong. I made myself forget when I made myself real, but I-I know it wasn't like this."

Cole was panicking, and it was the first voice Krem heard when he gained his bearings. He looked around to find the source and saw Cole and Adalyn standing…. On the wall? Adalyn was brushing hair out of Cole's face comfortingly and letting his shaking hand grip her arm tightly.

"Calm down, Cole. You are going to be alright. We're going to make it through this together. Do you understand me?" Adalyn's voice was soft, soothing, but also not without slight tremors of fear.

Cole nodded and became quiet, his hand still holding onto Adalyn's arm like a lifeline.

Krem stood up shakily and tried to figure out the best way to get from where he was to the ground. He scrambled down the slight slope and then tripped and fell, when he stood, he was the right way up.

This was very strange.

"The Fade has changed. Not just because we're here physically, but because it's tainted, right Cole?" Adalyn turned to the spirit for reassurance of her claim, but he just let go of her arm and began spinning around in panic.

"Wrong , wrong, wrong. Wringing me out. Wrought right and rigid. Can't relax, can't release."

Adalyn ducked forward and caught Cole's hand in hers, holding it tight.

Krem watched them both visibly calm down a little at the contact.

"For now, we leave this damned place." Adalyn said through gritted teeth and pointed to a giant vortex of glowing green clouds that hung in the air further away. "That should be our ticket out. Let's move."

On her order they began trudging towards their goal and up and around rocky spires, statues, and stairs.

A stone slab hung in midair, a piece of flooring with a table on it, sideways.

Krem heard The Iron Bull mutter something under his breath as the Qunari strayed from the group.

"Hey, Chief! Let's join the Inquisition!" The Iron Bull said in an irritatingly high voice, mocking Krem.

"I don't know, Krem. I hear there are demons." He continued in his own voice.

"Agh, don't wory about the DEMONS, Chief. I'm sure we won't see many!" The Iron Bull mimicked, and then began grumbling and kicking rocks on the ground before yelling, "ASSHOLE!"

Krem rolled his eyes and went back to walk by Adalyn's other side.

"So…" He began, "We're really in the Fade, huh?"

"Yeah." Adalyn said, her eyes darting around the visible space, looking for demons; she seemed almost as panicked as Cole, and defiantly paranoid.

Krem took up her other hand without hesitation. She looked down at their joined hands in surprise.

"Krem, if you keep my hand, I'll have no more hands left to fight with."

Her daggers were both lost somewhere in the fall, but he knew how many spares she carried with her and knew that having more knives wouldn't be a problem.

 _And I lost my maul sometime before we got here… Some help I'll be. The only reason I was even allowed to go was because I could protect her and I have had more battle experience than most of the Inquisition's soldiers._

"I don't have anything else to hold." He said.

Adalyn seemed to register his lack of weapon and slipped her hand from his momentarily to take a fixed blade out of her side-sheath and handed it to him.

Krem switched it to his left hand and took her left hand up in his right again.

"You can fight left –handed?" Adalyn asked, sounding a little better now that she was distracted from the reality around her.

Krem shrugged a little, "With a knife, I can."

They came to a set of stairs and Adalyn decided that they should ascend it. Once they reached the top they all saw someone they did not expect to find.

"By the Maker… Could that be….?" Stroud wondered.

The figure smiled, "I greet you, Warden. And you, Champion."

"Divine Justinia?" Adalyn asked tentatively.

"It is likely what we face is actually a spirit or a demon. Be wary." Stroud warned.

The image of Divine Justinia nodded, "Proving what I am and am not, would take time. Time we do not have. I am here to help you. You do not remember what happened at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, Inquisitor."

Adalyn's eyes narrowed, "Hold on, Divine Justinia would have no way of knowing I had that title. You can't be her!"

"I have… been listening to whispers of you in the Fade, as well as met one of your closest friends, who tell me of you." The spirit said, motioning off to the side to where another figure approached quickly, as if in a hurry.

The newcomer was a strange combination of a golden-glowing facelessness and a sensuous violet-colored body with cloven hooves and a single curled horn atop

"A spirit…. No. A desire demon." Hawke clarified, readying his staff, magical fire flaring to life.

"Addie, dear heart! There you are. I heard that you were here and I had to find you before… what's wrong?" A beautiful two-toned almost masculine voice came from the demon still approaching them.

It had to be a trick, Adalyn's mouth was hanging open in surprise and her eyes were wide.

"He's… not a demon." Cole remarked. "Something changed him, but not entirely."

The Divine stopped the demon with a hand before he reached them and said,

"Your disguise is not up, she does not recognize you, she does not want to."

The demon's form flickered and then melded and began to become clearer.

Once the mist slid away, a young Rivani man with skin the color of milk tea, enchanting eyes, and long dark hair appeared by the Divine's side. He stood smirking with his hands on his hips and eyes fixed on Adalyn.

"Dazai?" Adalyn gasped.

So this was Dazai, the desire demon inside Adalyn's head?

He seemed very familiar with her, calling her 'Addie'. Krem felt a pang of jealousy, but forced it down and let go of Adalyn's hand so she could move forward.

"Addie," Dazai said softly, taking Adalyn's hand in a tender gesture, "Whatever you think, I truly am here to help. " He glanced back at Divine Justinia, "-And she is too."

"What are you?" Adalyn asked, sounding half-hopeful and half-disgusted.

Dazai visibly cringed and then regulated his features. "I was a spirit of Purpose, until the Circle."

Cole interjected, "The bars, cold, shaking, unmoving. _Help me! Somebody! Anybody! I'll do anything! I never meant for this to happen! Please!_ Desperate cries, desperate lies. He was Purpose, but he loved too much, he became Desire, because that is what she said she needed. Self-twisted and bound and broken. Not himself, not anymore."

Dazai grimly nodded, "I don't want to talk about it."

Adalyn took her other hand from Cole and cupped Dazai's jaw in her hands and looked up at him, "But you are still part-spirit, right? Is that why I haven't acted like every other blood mage I've met? They all went insane, but not me. Was it you?"

Dazai nodded, but said nothing. Turning his head aside and taking her hands off of his face with his disguised hands.

"The reason the Fade had fallen into ruin and chaos is the Fear demon. It is the Nightmare you forget upon the waking. It feeds off memories of fear and darkness, growing fat upon the terror. The false calling that terrified the Wardens into making grave mistakes? It's work."

This creature sounded ominous, and Krem knew he wouldn't want to face it down even if he had the Chief and all of the Chargers at his back.

"I would gladly avenge the insult this Nightmare dealt on my brethren." Stroud said with conviction, sounding eager to rip it's head off (if it even had one).

"How does Corypheus command so many demons?" Adalyn asked, "And are half-demons like Dazai at risk? What about spirits?"

Dazai gritted his teeth, "The Nightmare is a powerful demon, one that many demons either fall prey to, or are subject to by order of nature. I have heard its call, and it has sought me, but I have not let it find me, for your sake as well as my own."

"Spirits are disappearing with disheartening frequency, but it seems that they cannot be controlled by the demon." The Divine added.

"There is something the Nightmare has taken from you, Inquisitor. When you fell into the Fade at Haven, it took some of your memories. Your memories have been scattered across the Fade, Inquisitor. To leave this place and know the truth, you must recover them." The Divine said.

Adalyn nodded grimly and looked out to the rest of the Fade. "Alright, it's a plan: let's go knock some skulls in."

…

They moved on through the Fade, having recollected many of Adalyn's memories. But at every twist there was a turn, the Fade seemed nearly endless. Demons were around every corner, and when the Nightmare began talking, Krem thought the Chief would jump right out of his skin.

"Silly little girl, you try to forget your pain and think you can keep your head above the wave of blood that will ultimately consume you, just like it did your foolish mother. Who was it that filled your head with such drivel as happiness?" Boomed the omnipresent voice of the Nightmare.

Adalyn laughed once loudly and scoffed, "You think I am afraid of you, demon? I'll take you by the nuts—assuming you have them—and I'll tether your nethers to an anchor and drop you in Ameranthe Ocean, you piece of nug shit!"

The Nightmare laughed at her threat.

Krem imagined it was looking down at their group and leisurely picking which one to target next, he hoped it wasn't him.

"I see you there, little one. No need to be shy. I know you've been avoiding me all this time, trying to protect her."

Dazai clenched his fists and hissed, his human façade beginning to waver as he grew angered, the colorful tattoos marking his skin shimmering like a mirage.

Krem realized with a pang that the colorful tattoos that marked Adalyn's lower back mirrored the ones that ran up and down the demon's arms.

"You can't protect her; let me guess why, because you do not possess a body?" The Nightmare continued. "You fear that a physical threat will come for her, as it has many times before, and you will be of no use. You felt powerless to see her suffer at her mother's hands."

"No," Dazai said quietly, keeping his head down now.

"You felt powerless when she was bled dry daily, and when she was taken by the Templars, and when she lay in that cold cell that reminded her of the cellar her mother used to lock her in, where you would talk to her to calm her in her dreams and-"

"ENOUGH!" Dazai ripped through his disguise and blazed with gold and purple fire as the demon side of him twitched in fury and slowly bled further into the golden spirit form.

Adalyn went to him and placed her hands on his arm, "Don't let him win, Dazai."

"Or what of you, Cremissa?"

Krem's heart lurched to a stop with his moving feet. He was standing stock-still at the sound of his former name.

Some of the group sent him confused looks, wondering why he had stopped.

Bull and Adalyn sent him worried and protective looks. Adalyn went over to him and looped her arm through his.

"Do you know what happened to your mother after you left for the army and your father sold himself away? After she stopped sending you letters, telling you what happened?"

Adalyn's grip on his arm tightened, and she began moving, dragging him along as he tried to block out the words the Nightmare was speaking _to him_.

"She took the money that your father was worth, she took the money that you sent her, and she took the money that she got from selling the shop, and she left Tevinter, hoping to never see her disgrace of a daughter ever again."

Krem bit back a sob and blinked away tears as Adalyn led him to the next flight of stairs.

"That might not be true, Krem. It's just trying to get to you. If it really matters to you, the Inquisition can find out what happened to your mother, just give the word." Adalyn said softly and reassuringly.

Louder, she yelled, "Yeah, yeah. Spit your insults, I know what you are you little cunt-licking sack of mildewy puss!"

Stroud made a sound of disgust, "That's foul."

Adalyn nodded sagely, "Well, that's deserving, 'cause it IS foul. And I called Corypheus a lumpy sack of sea-sodden rat-puss."

"What is it with you and puss?" Varric asked.

"It sounds absolutely disgusting and it is! Good for knocking down someone's morale."

Her cheer was short-lived, however.

"What IS THAT?!" Bull yelled and began swinging his axe.

Krem turned to the right to see what Bull meant and saw something that made his blood chill.

Bull wasn't there.

Krem swore he saw him out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned…

Krem looked at his side and realized Adalyn and Cole had vanished as well.

He turned in circles, searching franticly for his companions, but saw and heard absolutely nothing. Panic gripped his insides and he began to double over in shock and fear.

 _I'm alone. I'm alone. I'm alone…_

He shuddered as the chant repeated in his head, he squeezed his eyes shut and hoped that this was just a nightmare.

Suddenly he felt something swing a leg over his bent back, hands pressed into his shoulders.

He opened his eyes and could suddenly hear Adalyn's shrieks of horror as she clung to his back.

Krem realized Adalyn was trying to get away from the ground for some reason, he stood and let her wrap her shaking arms around his neck and brought his arms up to hook under her thighs.

"A-Are you alright?" He asked, as he felt her shake and grip his ribcage with her legs a little harder. He realized he still couldn't see her, but he could hear her and feel her.

Her breath shuddered next to his ear, "I—spid-d-ders,"

The fear demon is making her see spiders? That's her big fear? Krem could take care of a few spiders.

"I'm not afraid of a few spiders." He said as calmly as he could, "Though, once the Chargers had a contract to lure a giant, which was holed up in this cave. To get to the giant, some of us had to clear out the giant spiders and their webs. Unfortunately for us, the webs were stickier than imagined…."

Gradually, she calmed down as he told her the story, and after a minute, all of their companions reappeared.

The Chief looked spooked, Stroud looked grim, Hawke was cringing, Varric was shuddering, Cole was shaking frost out of his hair, and Dazai was rending an assortment of random objects from his body; gold, handkerchiefs, underthings… the list went on.

"What the FUCK was that?!" The Iron Bull turned to Adalyn and Dazai for an explanation.

Adalyn shakily got down from Krem's back and stood, seeming a little ashamed and apologetic at not having fought.

"It seems like we just fought lesser versions of our greatest fears." She said.

 _Being alone. That sounds about right for me._

Krem thought.

"What was so bad for you that you couldn't fight, Inquisitor?" Stroud asked.

Krem realized that he might have been the only one who couldn't see the enemy or anyone fighting, but it didn't mean that others couldn't see Adalyn avoiding the fight.

Adalyn looked aside and muttered, "Spiders."

Hawke grimaced and nodded in sympathy.

Stroud, Varric, and Bull scoffed in disbelief.

Dazai cut in front of Adalyn, standing in between her and them and glared fiercly.

"You don't know what she's been through. You don't know her like I do. You don't even know how many people I've killed and deceive to keep her safe!" He snapped. "And I've longed to say this, but you—"

He swiveled around and pointed to Krem, "Don't even deserve to—murmph!"

Adalyn clamped her hands over Dazai's mouth and sighed, "Alright, that will be enough out of you. We'll have a talk about killing and deceiving people later."

She turned back to the group and gave a strained smile, "If it's a matter of why…"

Hawke interrupted, "Spiders crawling a poking under your skin is the feeling you get when a demon from the Fade is trying to break through. It is the last feeling a mage has before becoming an abomination."

Adalyn nodded, "That isn't the only reason for me, but essentially, yes, that is why I fear them."

The group looked cowed and decided to continue on.

Adalyn kept her hand in Krem's from then on, so that they each had someone to hold on to when the smaller fears drew to close to their party.

Eventually, they reached a cavern that the Divine claimed led to the Nightmare itself.

Adalyn went off to the side to speak in private with her as Krem settled back on a shelf of rock next to the Iron Bull.

"You okay, Krem?"

Krem took in a shuddering breath and nodded, dragging the iron claymore he had found earlier to rest in his lap as he sat.

"Smashing in some demons did help my nerves." Krem said, rubbing the worm leather hilt of the sword out of habit. But it felt wrong; this wasn't his sword or his maul. He frowned at the thought.

Bull nudged his shoulder with his in a companionable, almost gentle way.

"Just let me know if someone's not good with you. Anybody who has something against one of my men, has a problem with me, too."

"Thanks, Chief."

"Anytime, Krem de la Crème."

They then stood at Adalyn's signal and prepared.

Potions were handed out, armor was patched, and weapons were drawn and ready.

"Wait!" Dazai suddenly blurted.

"What?" Adalyn asked.

"Before… before you face that thing, I wanted to tell you something."

"We must hurry," Hawke insisted, "We do not know how much more time we have before the Divine's spirit can shield our presence from the demon!"

Dazai sighed and turned back to Adalyn, who was looking expectantly back at him.

"Addie, I… have loved you as long as I have known you. Your determination and ferocity are traits I admired since-"

"What are you going on about?" Adalyn chuckled, "You'll see me tomorrow in my sleep, you silly-head."

"Not like this, you won't. You won't smell of things I can't even describe, you won't be able to walk with me in the Fade and see and feel the same things as I do. I'll never be able to hold the real you in my arms and-" His voice caught and he held his breath, his hands now running through his long hair in frantic motions.

 _Spirits and demons are maybe more human than we realize…_

Krem thought with a twinge of guilt mixed with pity.

Adalyn sighed and dolefully announced, "I'm going to cheat on you real quick, Krem, just this once."

Before Krem could register her words, Adalyn stood on her toes and brought Dazai's head to her level and pressed her lips to his.

They held that way for a moment, in a kiss that was not passionate, but soft and chaste and gentle.

Dazai and Adalyn had something different together than what Krem had with her, and it made him wonder if she preferred his kisses to this one.

She and Krem kissed like fire and blood, over spilled liquor and laughter, breathless and warm.

The kiss he saw now; it looked like rain, cool and gentle and oddly… sad.

They drew apart and shares a slit second of silence.

"Why would you…?" Dazai seemed dazed and slightly happy at her unexpected kiss, Adalyn just grew flustered.

"You were getting sappy and emotional and freaking me out! What else was I supposed to do?!" She smacked him upside the head and kicked him in the shin. "You maker-damned idiot!"

She stomped away and withdrew her boot dagger and another dirk, "It's time to fight like animals and take names, people! Let's do this!"

She motioned for them to follow her through the exit and charged on ahead, leaving the rest of them scrambling to go after her.

…

Everything looked bad.

After fighting swarms of invisible monsters, giant spiders, darkspawn, demons, and more giant spiders for what seemed like hours; the secondary body of the Nightmare died, leaving the path to the rift open.

Adalyn screamed for the group to go, and so Krem grabbed a wounded Varric and began making his way uphill to the glowing green exit. The Iron Bull followed closely behind, helping a wounded Hawke along as well.

Stroud, Cole, Adalyn, and Dazai lagged behind, shaking off the rest of the small spiders and slogging through demon goo.

When Krem almost reached the portal, he heard a cry of dismay from Hawke, who caught sight of the giant spider, the main body of the Nightmare, heave itself back up overhead of them, now firmly on the rocky outcrop.

"Shit!" Krem heard Adalyn curse, "Hurry! Get out, we're right behind you!"

A huge spider's leg slammed into the rock just to the left of Krem, blocking his path to the exit.

The Nightmare didn't want them to leave; they would need some kind of distraction.

It seems both Cole and Dazai got wind of his thoughts, because they both turned to look at him.

"We need to clear a path!" Stroud said, reading his sword and shield.

Hawke tore himself away from the Iron Bull and limped back to Stroud, avoiding spider limbs as best he could.

"Go! I'll cover you." Hawke said, using his staff as a walking stick to make his way to the second group.

"Hawke!" Varric shouted to his friend, and hopped on his good leg to get a better view of what the hell Hawke was getting himself into. "Shit!" He hissed. He had taken a severe cut to the back of his left knee; the dwarf couldn't stand on his own at the moment.

The mandibles of the Nightmare clicked menacingly and Krem felt his blood chill.

"We can hold them off."

Krem too, turned to see who spoke before needing to jump backwards as a drop of venomous acid that size of a horse dripped down from the Nightmare almost onto him and Varric.

His head hurt. Falling backwards must have made him hit his head on something because…

The Iron Bull was suddenly by their side and hoisting both of them to their feet. He took Varric and began dodging his way to the exit, shouting for Krem to "Get up off your lazy ass and run like your fucking life depends on it!"

Krem's ears rung from the hit he took while on the ground and stumbled forward, bumping into someone else who was running. His arm was slung over someone's shoulder and he began running with them.

He turned his head back to look: where was…?

Two glowing figures stood against the darkened Nightmare that blotted out the green of the Fade.

A breathless sob came from the person helping him quickly along, a cool tear fell and splattered across his limp hand.

"Don't look back, just run. It's over." A pained whisper. "It's over."

And then they dove through the green.

...

As Adalyn gave her speech, it rained.

It came gently, almost like a mist; hanging both heavier than air and lighter than sorrow.

The Wardens would join under the Inquisition to rebuild and gain back trust with the rest of Thedas. Stroud would lead them, and they would be safe from corruption.

Both Krem and Hawke received medical attention for their respective concussions and spider bites. Relative peace and cheer came from both the surviving Wardens and the Inquisition's soldiers; the day had been won and settled.

Krem's heavy mind slogged through the news and began to fade in consciousness with peaceful thoughts.

 _Everything is fine. It's over. We're all still here… we're all still…_

Varric approached Adalyn through the rain after her speech,

"Hey, Chesnutt, where's the kid?"

Silence.

"… _Where is Cole_?"

Adalyn turned to look at Varric.

The tears in her eyes said everything.

* * *

 **Wild Card won the vote. Sorry to those of you who voted against it, and sorry to those of you who want to take everything back and cry.**

 **To clarify: both Cole and Dazai stayed behind to fight off the Nightmare, using their combined strength. Both of them together were the Wild Card.**

 **Please leave your thoughts in the reviews or PM me. I understand if you'd like to rant; be my guest. I am an asshole.**

 ***** star, star, hint, hint, wink, wink*** (They're spirits, so they can't _) - fill in the blank in the reviews, dudes.**

 **S.T.**


	20. Spirit's Amulet

Adalyn felt numb.

Every time she closed her eyes, it felt wrong.

Dazai wasn't there.

Every time she opened her eyes, it felt wrong.

Cole wasn't there.

The cook got mad more often, Maryden's songs were dispirited, and the surgeons continually lost more and more people. His presence really affected Skyhold, and with him not there; the world seemed at the very least a little more bleak.

Adalyn went to talk with Solas, the resident expert on Spirits, about what happened. Adalyn remembered that his spirit friend of Wisdom, who they had intended to rescue, turned into a demon, then back to a spirit, only to die in Solas' arms. He had told Adalyn that his friend would come back, but they would not remember him, and not be the same.

"Will Cole or Dazai reform like your friend?" She asked, following him as he went calmly from shelf to shelf in the library.

"It is likely that their essence will relocate and form new spirits, yes." He said, plucking ' _101 Ways to Cook a Nug'_ off the shelf and tossing it into a bin with a sign on it that read, 'Why is this in the library?'.

"But will they be _Cole_ and _Dazai_? And will they come back?"

"I do not know with certainty, the answers to your questions." Solas said tiredly, "I do know that your selfish mistakes have cost the lives of two and possibly more untainted spirits!" He flared up in anger, an emotion Adalyn did not readily associate with the Elvan Apostate.

She took a defensive step back and Solas very quickly began to look ashamed at how he acted.

"If you would forgive me, Inquisitor, it is not my place to question your decisions. I really do feel sympathetic for what happened at Adamant, you have my condolences." He said with a polite nod, which seemed to mask something that felt almost… mocking.

Adalyn shook the feeling off and left him to weeding the useless books from the library shelves.

"Fascinating stuff!" She heard Dorian exclaim from a different isle of the shelves.

"This Library has everything from, _'Five different ways to wear sashes'_ to _'An Antivan Kiss'_ to the entire series of _'Hard in Hightown'_ , but not a single volume on the old Tevineter Imperium or the Magisters that entered the Fade and started the Blight! Absolutely BLOODY BRILLIANT!"

Adalyn smiled and went up to the crow's nest where Liliana did most of her work, to check in with her.

"How are you holding up, Liliana?" She asked once she reached the top floor. She looked around, the floor was still covered in droppings and the desk was messy with reports and letters, and a half-drunk goblet of wine balanced precariously on a stack of books.

"Better than you, I might imagine." Liliana stated mildly. "It is not every day you go into the Fade physically, meet Andraste, and are absolved of your sin and blood magic through the blessing of the Maker."

Adalyn raised an eyebrow, "Is that what the rumor says?"

Liliana sighed and set down a tied stack of letters on the desk, "Some of them are far more strange. Stroud has sent word from Weishaupt, the Wardens are ready and at our disposal."

"What of Hawke?" Adalyn wondered what had happened to him when he didn't return with them all the way to Skyhold, instead he took the road further south.

"He went back home to an undisclosed location in Fereldan."

Adalyn nodded pensively, "I see. His family must miss him… I am not sorry that I chose not to leave him. He could have died."

"But it was hard to leave your friends, spirit or no, in a situation so desperate." Liliana said comfortingly, "I understand, Inquisitor. I thank you for listening to me speak of my grief of losing Divine Justinia, and I offer my ear if you need the same."

"Thank you, Liliana. I will let you know if I need someone to talk to." Adalyn said, smiling politely.

"If I were to ask you for a favor, just a personal favor, would you do it for me, on the promise of a favor from me in return?" Adalyn asked cautiously.

She felt Liliana study her expression through slatted eyes, "What kind of 'personal favor'?"

"Finding someone's whereabouts."

"It can be done." Liliana said slowly, "The more challenging, the better."

"Dorina Aclassi, Krem's mother."

Liliana seemed go deep into thought, "Seems interesting, I'll look into it."

"Thank you, Liliana. I will leave you to your work now." She said with a half-bow.

Liliana gave Adalyn a smile and returned to her desk.

As Adalyn left down the stairs, she heard Liliana pick up the goblet of wine on the table and take a sip.

"Strange, that my wine doesn't taste as sweet as it did before Adamant…" She heard Liliana whisper.

Adalyn felt a pang of guilt, but pushed it down and continued down the stairs.

…

"Come back to bed, Love." Krem mumbled sleepily from their shared bed, caught in the mess of tangled sheets and limbs too sleep-leaden to move.

Adalyn toyed with the smooth blue amulet attached to her necklace, a spirit binding amulet that helped protect her dreams from demons and her body from blood mages. Karris had given it to her "just in case", and now her dreams were wracked with fear and pain, with Dazai not there to protect her.

She turned away from the balcony window and climbed back under the covers, and let Krem get comfortable again.

He was the fussier sleeper out of the two of them; he liked to sleep on his back and with only a certain amount of weight on top of him. Adalyn could sleep whenever, wherever, and however required… usually. Now she found it hard to get to sleep with the demons that Dazai usually protected her from nightly, came crawling into her dreams and offering to rekindle her blood magic and other abilities.

Her magic had been dampened from losing Dazai, and now all she could do was summon small flames, conjure warm winds, and smooth splintered or warped wood; some mage she was.

Soon, Krem began to breathe deeply and evenly again as he settled into sleep.

Adalyn felt bad that she had taken both Dazai and Krem's presence for granted during the two months before Adamant, when she was trying to figure out how to stop being a blood mage.

She was starting to think she was better off being a blood mage.

She turned over in Krem's arms and threw a leg over his warm body.

Maker, she loved him. He was so… steady. He didn't leave her side when she made mistakes, or when she ignored him out of stress, or when she broke down after Adamant and didn't sleep for days.

Adalyn shifted again slightly, regarding the small trunk Krem had brought up to her room when he moved in.

She knew he was working on several secret sewing projects that he worked on when he thought she wasn't looking. When she was sparring with some of the soldiers or a few of the Chargers, he would pull out a piece and start working again.

Krem couldn't spar for a while, or get involved in any fights due to his concussion. And after Stitches said he was alright to get back into mercenary work, Krem was already too deep in his project to drop it completely.

So between jobs when he was back at Skyhold, Adalyn saw him working on pieces of what would become five dresses. Adalyn had seen his detailed sketches in glances behind his turned back.

One dress was made of violet silk that had flaring sleeves that cut off at the elbow and a high collar in Orlisian fashion.

Another was of a deep midnight blue in velvet with a low-cut back and long sleeves.

A lighter one was made of pale ice blue crepe with a lace train that didn't quite touch the ground.

The fourth mimicked the dress she had worn at the Winter Palace; but instead of metal armor pieces integrated into the dress, the radiant green number was entirely made of satin and had quite a daring neckline.

The last dress was a simple floral patterned pink and white dress that looked very similar to the fabric color and pattern of the small pink flow patch sewn onto his (now Adalyn's) handkerchief.

Adalyn knew from some intense snooping that Madame Vivienne, Josephine, Liliana, and Cassandra were all involved with the designing, but it was still a mystery where the funding for buying expensive fabrics came from. (Adalyn had her bets placed on her grandmother being the one who commissioned the dresses in the first place.)

 _Still,_

Adalyn thought fondly as she ran light finger through Krem's sleep-tousled hair, earning her a wrinkled nose and a scratch from Krem, who was still dead asleep.

 _He's such a romantic._

The Iron Bull would always roll his eyes and tell Krem to 'bend her over the banister, already!', and once upon a time Adalyn would have agreed. But with Krem she didn't mind waiting a while for anything physical.

Adalyn thought back to the numbers of times both she and Krem had come pretty damn close to losing the pants and sighed forlornly.

Dirty thoughts weren't as fun with Dazai around to mock them.

Krem stretched in his sleep and she resettled outside of his arms, facing his back, breathing in the scent of lavender soap that he liked to use.

Adalyn then felt the press of his ass right up against her thighs.

The Maker was testing her resolve.

 _Ooh, I really want to smack his butt right now. It is literally_ right THERE _._

 _Wouldn't that be inappropriate? He's sleeping and he has no warning._

 _Yeah, but… people used to smack MY butt when I was sleeping on the Demon's Gale._

 _To be fair, mine was sticking out, or up in the air, or off to the side because we slept in a hammock. We were making it too easy for them._

 _True… but it's_ RIGHT THERE.

 _You make a compelling argument._

 _Thank you, Adalyn._

 _You're welcome, Adalyn._

 _Am I going crazy?_

 _What do you mean?_

 _Well, I am talking to myself in my head more than I usually do._

 _That is true…But you know what?_

 _What?_

 _Who gives a flying shit?_

And then she grabbed his butt.

…

"That was a mistake." She groaned, holding a piece of raw meat over her left eye.

"Why?" The Iron Bull roared in laugher.

"Because." Adalyn snarled, "He elbowed me so hard, I got a black eye." She waved the dangling piece of raw flesh she was sort of using to stop the bruising in his general direction in annoyance.

Dorian chuckled, looking more genuinely amused than he had in weeks.

He had been holed up in the library for nearly a month, trying to research physical and magical theory on how one could physically enter the Fade. Dorian, after a while, hadn't exactly given up, per say, but he felt deserving of a break, so he had left the library and found Adalyn with a piece of meat on her face.

And that was endlessly entertaining.

Bull passed out tankards to the three of them and gulped the boozy mixture down, then let out a satisfied belch.

Adalyn despondently looked down into her drink, and did the same. Drink, belch, repeat.

Dorian shook his head in dismay and knocked back some of the swill.

"So. Boss." Bull began looking eager, "The Inquisition scouts have caught wind of several dragons in Emprise de Lion now that they've fixed that bridge. All you need to do to rekindle your love-life or whatever, is hunt a dragon. Let's go dragon hunting! That'll really get your blood pumping! Nothing like the sight of shining scales, the taste of blood, and the rush of battle adrenaline! That'll really put some mayhem into your bed!" He laughed and clanked his tankard to hers.

"Might be a good idea." Adalyn said thoughtfully, taking another swing of her drink and playing absent-mindedly with the meat on her eye with her other hand.

Dorian did a double take, "You're not actually serious about taking his advice, are you?"

"From a love-expert? Why not?" Bull grinned.

Dorian's eyebrows raised, "You are anything _but_ a love expert!"

"Hey," The Iron Bull said defensively, "I'm great at sex."

"That…." Dorian began in heated rebuttal that seemed to fizzle away into grudging admitted, "You are."

" _You guys have totally done it_!" Adalyn sung teasingly, and then snorted, dodging a small electric bolt from Dorian.

"Yeeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh," Bull rolled his voice slowly in satisfaction all while looking at Dorian with a shit-eating grin.

Dorian's cheeks began to flush red, something Adalyn was seeing for the first time.

"You are insufferable." Dorian huffed, sitting back down on his stool and gathering what was left of his dignity and continued drinking.

"You love it," The Iron Bull chuckled and seemed to remember something. "That's right! Krem-Glace's birthday is coming up, ha ha… cumming. Make sure that's what he does on that night, am I right Dorian?"

Dorian seemed to have taken up the strategy of ignoring them, so the Iron Bull continued.

"Anyway, it's on the twenty fifth. If you want to do something special, I'll let you in on something Dagna has been putting together…"

He whispered what it was in her ear and her eyebrows rose.

"It does what?"

"Yeah,"

"I'm not putting bees in there! Whose idea was-"

The sound of Sera's cackling rang through the tavern along with her feet scampering as she made her getaway.

"Sera! So it _was_ you!"

…

Adalyn had just finished making… adjustments… to some of Dagna's and Seras very… creative innovations to their gift to Krem.

She stepped out into the main hall and caught a look at her reflection in the stained glass window behind her judgment throne.

The bruise was almost gone. It had been a few days, Krem had apologized, and the meat had been ditched.

She then noticed someone else in the reflection standing near her; she quickly turned and stepped back in surprise. She hadn't even felt the person's presence when they stood beside her. Their head was covered in a hat and they were looking down at the ground, so their fce remained hidden by shadow.

She looked the person up and down, and her eyes widened.

 _Wait a second._

That hat was familiar.

Except the metal-domed floppy brimmed thing was now embellished with flowers and feathers.

Adalyn stepped closer hesitantly and lifted the brim of the hat up.

"Cole…?"

It was him, except, like with his hat, there were a few new embellishments.

He had black hair and a stronger jaw line and a handsome nose, along with Cole's regular greasy look to the hair and his ice-blue eyes and pouty lips.

"No… Dazai?"

The person looked ruffled and confused, "I'm… both?"

"Oh."

"Yes," They sounded more confident now. They nodded, "I'm both. But I am still Cole. Call me Cole… Addie."

 _Oh._

…

"SOLAS, HOLY FUCK!" She kicked down his door and ran inside to Solas' mural room, dragging Cole behind her by the wrist.

The elf seemed unhappy to be disturbed until he saw Cole.

Quickly, he came over and began looking him up and down, studying the peculiar fusion.

"Solas, Cole and Dazai are in onebodypleasehelpme!" Adalyn rushed.

Solas held up a finger to keep her silent, as Adalyn let go of Cole and danced in place like she needed to use the latrine.

"Yes, it seems that the two spirits fused into one… as both were injured and one was only a half-spirit." Solas said excitedly, he looked up at the tall spirit and asked, "What manner of spirit are you?"

"Compassionate… Purpose?" Cole said, sounding a little unsure.

Solas nodded and hmmmed, "Yes, I see. And you have brought yourself back physically to our world using the memory of the human 'Cole', again. This is extraordinary!"

Adalyn hopped from foot to foot impatiently, "But what does that mean, Solas?"

"It could mean the Veil is weakening enough for Spirits to slip through physically."

"No! I mean, is Dazai separate, in Cole's head, or is this new thing permanently bonded?"

Solas shook his head, "I do not know the answer to that. Right now, Cole is what he appears as-"

"I came here because I need help," Cole interrupted Solas, turning back to Adalyn. "I need you to bind me."

"Er, what now? The same type of bindings the Wardens used to tether their demons to them?"

"Yes." Cole said, his eyes beginning to show desperation, "You have to."

"I'm sorry, Cole," Adalyn said, "But I don't practice blood magic anymore. I can't."

"If you don't do the ritual to bind me, someone else could, _will_." Cole paced away from them and turned on his heel franticly,

"Like the Warden Mages… and then…. I won't be in control of myself. I could go back to being a demon and hurt everyone! … Walls blocking what I want, hurting, bleeding, making me a monster."

"Indeed. I recall stories of some amulets used by Riviani seers-"

"Ah!" A spirit binding talisman! Adalyn had one of those!

Her mentor, Karris, had given her one in case she ever needed it. In case her contract with Dazai broke for whatever reason. Now she wore it to protect herself from demons in her sleep at night, she took it off during the day.

"Wait right here!" She rushed off to retrieve the amulet.

When she came back, it seemed that Varric had found out about Cole's reappearance, and was clucking over him like a mother hen.

"Shit, Kid, your hair turned dark!" Varric exclaimed, "When did you dye it?"

"Colors faded, blurring together, no lines. Not anymore. Who is Cole and who is Dazai? We are both here and one is less dark and the other is now worried. Both one and dyed in the colors of the other."

Adalyn reentered and explained, "Varric, it seems Cole and Dazai, the spirit-demon in my head, fused into one spirit."

"Woah. So this is the Kid and Lover Boy?"

"Lover Boy?" Adalyn asked dubiously at Dazai's nickname.

Varric waggled an eyebrow, "Hey, I'm not the one who got all smoochy in the Fade with the Inquisitor. This shit is strange, but it doesn't even make my top ten."

Adalyn smiled and moved to Cole, and put the cord around his neck.

She stepped back as Solas began casting his magic on Cole and whispered an explanation for the amulet and Cole to Varric.

The magic suddenly shattered and Cole staggered backwards with a cry.

"It didn't work." He said bluntly.

"Something is interfering with the enchantment."

"Something like, Cole not being a demon?" Varric crossed his arms, defensive as ever when it came to the young spirit. "He's a lot like a human, don't you think?"

"Not impossible that desire demon fragments are still in him from Dazai." Adalyn mentioned.

Solas shook his head at both of them, "Regardless of Cole's special circumstances, he remains a spirit."

"Yes, a spirit that is strangely like a person." Varric tried again, with a knowing smile.

Solas looked annoyed and went back to where Cole stood.

"Focus on the amulet, Cole. Tell me what you feel." Solas said coolly, reaching out to the spirit in the Fade as well.

"Warm. Soft blanket covering. But it catches. Tears. I'm the wrong shape… There." Cole suddenly stopped his muttering and turned and pointed, "That way."

"Well, then. Let's go! Day trip! Day trip! Day trip!" Adalyn began chanting excitedly. She grabbed Cole's hands and began to whirl him around. He staggered on awkward limbs to keep up with her.

"The first thing we must do is track down whatever is interfering with that amulet." Solas agreed.

…

At Redcliffe they found a former Templar, who was allegedly the very thing keeping Cole form working the amulet properly.

During the time on the trip, Adalyn slept in a tent with Cole. Holding his down in her arms at night kept him from nervously pacing and franticly muttering as well as extended the amulet's protection over her.

He was so gentle and alright with contact.

Gentle, like Cole.

Alright with touch, like Dazai.

Cole before was too antsy to be touched properly. Once, Adalyn had tried to hug him, and then he poofed away and she didn't see him for another week.

She thought that was the extent of Dazai's influence on Cole's behavior…

And then she heard the malice in Cole's voice when he saw the former Templar.

"You."

His eyes were burning with a ferocity that matched Dazai's jealousy. Good traits were not the only things that carried over.

A puff of smoke and then Cole was gripping the man by the head, fingers crushing, pushing him up against a metal statue.

"You killed me!" Cole spat through gritted teeth, fury in every word.

"What? I don't—I don't even know you!" The man protested, putting his hands up in defense.

"You forgot. You locked me in the dungeon in the Spire, and you forgot! And I died in the dark! That could have been her, or another, you hurt me, him. You-"

"The Spire?" The man whimpered in fear.

"Cole. Stop." Solas commanded.

Cole released his grip for a second and the man scrambled and then ran away.

Cole started to follow, but Varric blocked his path with raised hands.

"Just take it easy, Kid." Varric said soothingly.

"He killed me! He killed me, and that's why it didn't work! Now I have to kill him back!" Cole cried.

"Um. No." Adalyn also stepped in between Cole and his path. "No killing, please."

Cole leaned forward and gripped her arms so hard she was sure that his fingerprints would be left in purple bruises, "But he killed me! I was like you once, Addie. A soft plea, a whisper. You could have died in the dark. And that is how you know that I HAVE TO KILL HIM."

"Cole, this man could not have killed you. You are a spirit. You are not even a possessed body." Solas said.

Cole let go of Adalyn's already sore arms and looked down, receding into mumbles again, "A broken body, bloody, banged on the stone cell. Gut gripping in the dark dank, a captured apostate." Cole's voice began to shake and Adalyn began seeing echoes of unwanted memories of her time in the Circle's dungeons.

"They threw him into the dungeon in the Spire at Val Royeaux. They forgot about him. He _starved_ to death."

Adalyn shivered and felt tears drip down the bridge of her nose. She was crying silently with her head bent down, trying to force the memories back down—away, away—

"I came through to help—but I couldn't. So I _became_ him: Cole."

Adalyn took a shuddering breath in and watched numbly as Cole walked right past her.

"Let me kill him. I need to… I need to."

Cole's breath was as ragged and unsteady as her own, and his voice was filled with emotion.

She had wanted them back… but not this way. Dazai's intensity and passion was hurting Cole…

He mind was spinning: what could she do now?

"What do I do?" She whispered, knowing the ultimate decision would rest with her like a burden.

"We cannot let Cole kill the man." Solas said resolutely.

"I don't think anybody was about to suggest that, Chuckles." Varric said disapprovingly.

"Cole is a Spirit. The death of the real Cole wounded him, perverted him from his purpose. He must forgive." Solas supplied a solution that made the taste of bile grace Adalyn's tongue.

Forgiveness? For death? That cannot be right.

"Come on! You don't just forgive someone _killing_ you." Varric chided.

"You don't. A spirit can." Solas countered.

"Varric…" Adalyn locked gazes with the dwarf and they both began walking quickly to where Cole waited, where he waited for the former Templar to realize there was no escape.

Once they reached him, they heard the man begging Cole and whimpering 'sorrys' as he stood at the edge of a cliff.

"Sorry isn't going to help him now, is it Kid?" Varric said loudly.

"No." Cole said, his voice still seething in contempt.

Varric loaded Bianca with a crossbolt and handed the mechanized weapon to Cole.

"Pull the trigger, and put him down like a mad dog." Varric said.

 _This is an act… right? Varric?_

As she watched, her complexion turned ashen and her thoughts danced in panic.

Cole held the crossbow, arms shaking, he yelled and pulled the trigger.

Adalyn screamed, her legs starting to move too late.

The crossbolt sunk into the ground only a little ways from the man's foot.

He had missed.

Adalyn collapsed in the grass out of relief.

"Feel any better, Kid?" Varric asked, taking Bianca back from Cole.

"No,"

Varric slung Bianca back over his shoulder, "You can't make it all just go away; I learned that the hard way."

Cole leaned forward; hand extended and began to say, "Forget" When Varric stopped him,

"No. He needs to remember, you do too." He started to lead Cole away from the shaking man, "We're done here."

Cole, as they passed where Adalyn still sat on the ground in a daze, stopped and reached out a hand to her, and helped her stand up.

He wiped the tears from her eyes and wrapped his arms around her.

She noticed when he began to breathe in the scent of her.

"You'll be alright. I- I … will be alright." He managed to say.

She nodded silently and let him walk with her to where Varric and Solas waited for them.

* * *

 **There were so many weird titles for this chapter that I came up with, I have no idea what was going through my head. They are kind of funny, though. Here are a few: "He's a real boy!", "It's a FUSION" (steven universe reference), "An eyepatch made of meat", and "Cole gets a fancier hat".**

 **I hope this was a better chapter than the last for you guys, but I promise in next chapter there will be less drama and angst and more kissing and butts.**

 **Next chapter is titled, "Dragon's Blood", so I hope you're ready and hope your bodies are too, because it's gonna be a wild ride (on a dragon)!**

 **Also, how do you guys feel about Cole and Dazai? Thoughts?**

 **S.T.**


	21. Dragon's Blood

Electricity crackled over the ice, sending cracks along the surface and sending the Chargers scattering all across the ice-covered tower roof.

"Warriors, to the front as a distraction! Dalish, cast a barrier in front of the warriors! Cut-throats, to the underbelly!" He yelled and the unit responded, moving to their given places around the giant High Dragon and continuing to press their attack.

He had never fought a dragon this big before, but with the Chief, his lover Dorian, and Adalyn by his side along with the rest of the Chargers, he felt confident. This High Dragon had almost no chance of keeping it's skin.

The Chargers responded to his command, falling into the specified formation. Krem moved along with the rest of the fighters to the dragon's lowered head, beginning to land deafening blows against its muzzle with his maul.

He saw Adalyn out of the corner of his eye move with the rogues to the underside of the dragon and began to slash with her daggers at the sensitive flesh untouched by scales.

Krem turned his attention back to the head in front of him and brought his maul down harder onto its skull, seeming to stun the dragon momentarily, when it regained its senses (all too soon, Krem might add) it roared in pain as it registered the new open wounds ripped open by the throat-cutters.

The dragon lunged forward and snapped at the fighters in front of it, but its teeth bounced off of Dalsih's magic shield. The creature looked inquisitively at the invisible barrier and drew back and up, Krem noticed when the dragon's throat lit up with premature lightning; the dragon was going to blast them.

"Get back! Throat-cutters, mind the tail! Fighters, to those rocks! Dalish, another barrier!" He moved quickly, shouting orders as he retreated to a shelter of boulders. He knew that Dalish's barriers were good, but they would never withstand a direct blast of magic lightning.

All of the Chargers and Dorian hung back as a blast of violent energy crashed down around them, only Dalish's and Dorian's combined barrier keeping them safe.

Krem did a quick head count to make sure everyone was safe and accounted for. He didn't get far in into his count before noticing that both the Chief and Adalyn were missing from the group.

He peeked over the boulders to look at the dragon, trying to gauge where his wayward superiors might be.

And there they were, laughing in glee as they both swung from the dragon's horns like children gripping onto a possessed play set.

The dragon was aggravated, unable to get them off with lightning and clearly sparing no effort in trying to physically shake their grip on its horns.

 _Those idiots…._

Krem thought disapprovingly.

Dorian let out a weary sigh similar to his and they made eye contact.

"They always like this on missions?" Krem asked the mage.

"Usually worse," Dorian commented dryly.

Krem ducked his head down in a quick laugh and then commanded the Chargers to move around the dragon and slice it's tendons as best they could, now that the dragon's balance was upset by Krem's idiot superiors.

As the Chargers surrounded the Dragon's front right leg and hacked away at its exposed flesh, Krem heard Adalyn shout to Bull somewhere above him,

"Hey! Hey, Bull! Listen, Krem is right below me. If I fall, he will surely catch me in his arms!"

Bull shouted back gleefully, "Like to see that, Boss! Though, we're swinging pretty badly and he's swinging his—Oop, there she goes."

Krem dropped his maul to the icy ground and held out his arms in the nick of time to catch his falling lover. She landed right in his arms, perfectly, as if she had timed it, and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a firm kiss on the mouth. She then leapt out of his arms and drew her daggers, dancing into the fray once more, leaving Krem slightly stunned.

He reached down and picked up his maul again and knocked the dragon's leg out from under it, it being already significantly weakened by the Charger's efforts.

The dragon screeched in pain and fury at having one of its limbs broken and bent, useless to it now. It seemed to be doing something new, now. The wings were raised and beginning to tense…. Fly, maybe?

And indeed, it seemed to want to take off.

Bull shimmied from the horn over to the top of the head, sliding down to the base of the neck and sitting, gripping with his legs.

Adalyn climbed up after him and held out her hand behind her, "Krem! Come on up, you'll miss the fun part!"

He, without another thought, rushed through the thick of the company to grab onto her hand. He was worried by what she meant as 'the fun part', but someone had to keep a look out for her.

Once he got his leg up over the dragon's back, it took off.

"SHIT!" He exclaimed, grabbing roughly onto Adalyn's waist with one arm and grabbing a fistful of scales with his other hand.

He was suddenly up in the sky, Adalyn and Bull howling in excitement in front of him in the clear night air.

She must have felt his hot panicked breaths on her neck, because she turned and patted his face with her hand. "Don't let go of me, it's going to try and shake us off." That was enough for him to want to cling to her and grip the dragon between his legs hanging on for dear life.

The dragon, as if hearing her warning, began to thrash and buck in the sky, bleeding from the many wounds the Chargers dealt it and flying awkwardly away from the landing.

It soared high, trying to make the force of the wind in its accent get them off its back, but they all hung fast.

The air was getting harder to breathe up here, so close to the stars.

Krem had never seen the light that shone down upon them so clearly, but now they gleamed in distinct points. The clouds around them were cold and misty, chilling him to the bone. He wished for solid ground.

The dragon dove suddenly, making the blood rush in his ears. He probably screamed, but he couldn't remember and the sound was washed clear away by the wind.

He saw the ground rising up to met them and he defiantly for a second thought,

 _This is it._

But as fortune had it, it wasn't.

The dragon did a flying barrel roll over the surface of the semi-frozen lake right outside the small village. The water skimmed right over the top of Krem's head, but The Iron Bull was taller, and not quite as fortunate.

The Qunari's horns got caught on a chuck of ice as they were upside down, and he went flying off the dragon's neck and landed in a cool pit of icy water.

"SOAKED TO THE BONE!" Krem heard the Iron Bull yell in dismay as the dragon soared onward, leaving him without a thought.

Now Krem and Adalyn alone clung to the dragon's neck as it soared high again and then kept even and level with the clouds for a time. Krem wondered why the dragon had stopped tossing them around when Adalyn leaned back and said loudly,

"The dragon is nursing several grave wounds; the flight took nearly all of the fight out of it. Now: I need you to help me do something crazy."

Krem firmly gripped the top of her hips, keeping her from moving anywhere, "How crazy, exactly?"

Adalyn laughed, tugging a length of rope from her belt and securing it with several knots around his belt, and handing him the slack.

"Hold this for me, Dearest." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek that made him ease up on his grip on her for just a moment, just enough time for her to stand up and slip away.

"Adalyn!" He called in panic as she moved up the dragon's neck and unsheathed one of her daggers.

The dragon felt them moving and seemed not to like that. It pumped it's wings and began shaking itself again, trying to wrest the pests from itself once more.

Adalyn was clinging to the dragon's neck with her legs while in one hand, she held her lifeline, and in the other, her dagger. In spite of the dragon's turbulence and her own unsteady aim, she struck hard and deep into the dragon's neck.

She let go with her legs and sheathed her dagger, causing the rope to be her only support. Krem pulled up to keep her aloft as the dragon screamed and flailed. He felt her swinging with her legs, and that plus the movement of the dragon was enough to swing her fully around, letting her land on the dragon's neck beside Krem.

The rope was now across the dragon's neck like a collar, the rough fiber digging into the dragon's new neck wound.

Adalyn untied Krem quickly and pushed him behind her.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, suddenly understanding what she intended to do and praying to Andraste that her Herald might live.

Adalyn tugged both ends of the rope hard, and the dragon reeled in fury, flying fast towards the ground.

As they neared the lake's surface, she tugged on the left end of the rope, and the dragon flew left, she tugged next on the right; and the dragon obeyed.

 _Maker have mercy, she's tamed a dragon!_

Adalyn forced the dragon down to the lake's surface to land roughly and the creatures skidded to a stop on three sort-of good legs.

Adalyn laughed in exhilaration, her hair wind and dragon-tousled and her mood as bright as the stars.

Krem quickly clambered off of the beast, moving to help his lover off as well, but found her already down and bounding towards the dragon's lowered head.

The dragon seemed complacent now, steam rising from his mouth in pants, and its eyes dead and tired.

Krem reached for his backup sword, still clamped to his belt, and drew it. He didn't like leaving things to chance.

Adalyn reached out and patted the dragon's nose, giggling when it blew a bit of steam her way. She then whirled around to look at him in joy, "Krem! Look! We did it, we really did ta-"

A sudden lunge caught Krem's attention; he moved to stand between her and the dragon, which had tried to snap at Adalyn's turned back.

The dragon turned its calculating gaze on Krem once more and twitched in an indecisive action.

Fortunately, Adalyn was now doing nothing to stop him, so he did not hesitate to step to the side when the creature lunged again, and drive his sword up through the cut in the neck, killing the damned thing.

Once it was done, he planted his foot on the neck and drew his sword out of the beast with a sickening sound. He flicked some of the blood off his blade and doused the rest of it in the snow covering the ice on the lake.

He inspected his armor and found it surprisingly unharmed and relatively free of dragon's blood. He sheathed his sword and turned back to Adalyn, unsure of what to expect.

What he got was Adalyn standing on her toes to reach his face as she licked at a spot on his cheek.

"Dragon's blood," She said while licking her lips, collecting the remnants of the smeared ruby liquid with her tongue.

The look in her eyes was a dark and enchanting one, and somehow he just couldn't look away

…

After the Chargers and the Inquisition's scouts (along with a very soaked Bull) joined them at the site of the dragon's death, Adalyn excused both herself and Krem, drawing him away from the crowd and to the small village at the edge of the lake.

She led him to a small, cold, one-roomed house and shut the door behind them with her foot.

Krem rubbed the tip of his icy nose with his gloved hand, trying to be careful and not get anymore dragon's blood on his face. (Though, he privately wondered if Adalyn would lick it off again if he did.)

"It's as cold in here as it is outside," He shivered, still feeling some of the chill from the ride through the clouds.

Adalyn went to the fireplace, which was embedded in one of the stone walls, and tossed in some kindling from the bucket next to it. She lit a small flame at the end of her fingertip and blew, flames flared out in a stream towards the sticks and dead leaves, and the fire began crackling warmly in the hearth.

"This is where you're staying?" Krem asked, finally ditching the attempt at removing his armor due to the lingering chill he felt in the room and the trek he expected to take to wherever the Chargers were camped in tents.

"You mean, where _we're_ staying." Adalyn said, a mischievous note peaking through her innocent-enough sounding statement.

Krem crossed his arms and gave her a look that he used with the Chargers a lot. The one that said, _'Oh really, big man? Want to try to test your bullshit out on me?'_

But she didn't see his look (due to her back still turned to him) and was now preoccupied with fiddling with the clasps of her armor.

Krem uncrossed his arms and moved over to her, stripping the gloves from his hands as he did so, casting them onto the lid of a trunk nearby. "Do you need help getting out of your armor?"

Just as he asked, Adalyn slipped out of her leather jerkin and shirt and undershirt all at once, chucking the layers to the side, over where her bags already lay on the floor.

He blinked in bewilderment,

 _How did she…?_

She turned to him with a grin, her short auburn hair glowing in the firelight and brushing against her bare shoulders.

"Stripping?" She said teasingly. "I've had plenty of practice."

Krem caught himself running his eyes hungrily over her exposed skin and began took shake himself out of it.

"I see that look you're giving me, Krem. I like it." Adalyn bit her lip and fervidly traced his armored body with her eyes, "Maker, I'm bad at this!"

Adalyn forced her pants down to her knees and grabbed his wrist, guiding his fingers to her soaked heat.

"How's that for foreplay? I'm already so wet from seeing you commanding the Chargers like that. Maker damn you, I want you in my pants!"

Krem's mind reeled from the sudden contact.

She really sucked at foreplay; that much was obvious by her blunt approach, but Krem wanted touch her, and maybe get to taste her if he got the chance. Any hesitation he might have felt melted and he gave in to her demands.

His first two fingers began rubbing lightly, spreading the slick across her folds, earning him a breathy moan from Adalyn that really drove him over the edge.

Maker, he wanted her so badly: _now._

Suddenly Adalyn sprung back away from him and onto the bed, tugging her pants all the way off and throwing them onto the growing pile of clothes on the bare wooden floor. She sat naked on the furs with nothing on her body but the firelight dancing across her pale and freckled skin.

Krem started to move forward but halted when Adalyn raised a finger and then pointed,

"Your armor, Krem; remove it. While you do that, I'll start having fun, but don't take too long… I'd hate to cum without you." She taunted with a riveting look and a bit lip that turned the color of rose blossoms in summer.

His arousal very quickly grew uncomfortable under his clothes and he hurried to strip his armor off, first the knee cops and the grieves slid off.

Adalyn was already ghosting her fingers over her hardened nipples, toying with them and breathing sharply. The lack of backboard meant that Krem, from his kneeling position from having taken off his boots, could see _everything_ : how she was already _so_ drenched in her need for him, how her fingers curved to reach deeper inside of her, how her skin was covered in light freckles that he wanted so desperately to kiss…

He let out an involuntary moan and paused in his effort to get his armor off on account of the new wave of lust that crashed down on his mind. He bit down on his lip and looked away from the bed and began to stand shakily, fumbling with the belt that held up the tasses on his armor.

He turned fully around, so that he couldn't see her lying prostrate on the bed already wet and quivering.

The belt fell and he worked on the latches to his cuirass next, he unclipped it and rested it as carefully as he could next to the pile of Adalyn's clothes. The chainmail and vest, and all he was left in were his breeches and hide shirt; he didn't wear his binder under his armor, it would make it too hard to breathe in the heat of battle.

Before strip the shirt off his torso, her arms were over his shoulders and her hands were skimming over his chest as she stood up on the bed, leaning herself into his back.

"Come on, what are you waiting for? Take me, already!" Her breath blew hot across his ears; he could feel her breasts press against his back through the fabric of his shirt.

He slipped out of her grasp and tugged the shirt over his head, then tugged his breeches down as well, kicking them off into the pile of clothes.

Krem turned around and remembered with a shock that this was the first time his lover was seeing him completely without clothes. Embarrassment crashed down all at once and he looked away when her eyes caught sight of him.

No. She already told him many times that she loved him. She wouldn't be disgusted with him. At most, she would be disappointed with his lack of much experience in bed.

He forced himself too look at her, and found that her eyes held nothing but unadulterated adulation.

She loved him.

A warm loving fluttering began in his chest, mixing with the darker, intoxicating feeling of lust.

He came onto the bed, beginning to kiss her lightly, his arms wrapping around her to pull her closer. Then their kiss blended into what all of their kisses became; passionate and burning.

Her lips were like silk against his and the sharp sting of her sudden bite on his lower lip punctuated the sensation.

Krem groaned and pulled away first, leaving his lips feeling raw.

Adalyn pouted and frowned, but before she could say anything—Krem cut her off with a kiss of his own, this time attempting to make _her_ moan. He nipped at her bottom lip and his tongue was granted entrance to her mouth. After a fierce backlash from Adalyn, their tongues warring for dominance, she finally gave out.

Krem leaned her gently back onto the bed and released her mouth, causing a wet popping sound, and got a good look at her face feeling rather pleased with himself as he wiped his lips with the back of his hand: her eyes were dazed and her lips were bruised an enticing pink from the force of their kiss.

"We need a safe word." He brought up, managing to clear some of the fog from his head. "Chief brought it up a few times, said it could never hurt to have one. Before we continue, I would like to know yours."

"Gun-runner," She stated, like she'd said it a hundred times to a hundred different people. "What's yours?"

"Parishioner." He said the one he had used twice before.

"Parishioner? Really?" She asked incredulously.

"Pot calling the kettle black, Adalyn. Gun-runner isn't much better, you know."

They laughed and their lips met again, they kissed deeply and fell back into their previous lull.

He moved his hand slightly so it hovered over her heat, "Can I touch you?"

She nodded breathlessly and he began working her with his fingers slowly, continuing her earlier work on herself. He moved his fingers in circles over her clit and watched her clench her fists in the sheets.

Her skin smelled vaguely of sweat and electricity and the sandalwood soap she bathed with, an intoxicating mix that he felt compelled to taste.

He began massaging his thumb into her opening as he leaned down to plant kisses and trail bites along her neck, stopping at patches of sun-kissed skin and giving those areas a nip and a suck.

A ragged gasp came from her lips and her arousal grew more slick under his fingers. He pressed another kiss on the underside of her jaw, and she dragged her fingers weakly through his hair.

For once she was being dragged along by his will, or at least, he felt like he had the illusion of control. It was exhilarating.

"Wait just a second, let me get something!" Krem said, removing his hands from her body and starting to get up off the bed and move over to his pack.

"Hold on," Adalyn was still gasping for air, but found the voice to call out as her fingertips brushed his arm.

He stopped and turned back, seeing her pluck the very thing he had gone to get from his pack from underneath the pillow and twirl the end of it between her nimble fingers.

His eyes widened and he looked from his pack to her in befuddlement.

"I straight up nicked it from you. Dagna really outdid herself with this. It does some really creative things, or so I hear." She chuckled, the strap-on swinging in her hand.

"Then-" Krem blurted,

"I haven't used it on myself. It's your birthday gift, Dearest." Adalyn grinned mischievously and brought the glass dildo attached to the fabric of the straps down to barely touch her folds. She teased her entrance with the glass head and bit her lip as she locked her eyes with Krem's.

Krem snatched it back from her before she did anything more with it, scowling at her for teasing him.

"I bet it'll look great on you." Adalyn giggled, seeming immune to his silent ire.

He slipped it on and found it comfortably snug around him, the stretchy fabric fitting nicely.

He rubbed the head of the dildo and immediately his knees buckled under the shock of having vibrations rock against his whole lower body.

"Krem? Are you alright?" Adalyn sounded worried; her hand was cradling his face gently.

He blinked through the feeling and realized he was gripping the wooden headboard so hard for support that his knuckles were white.

"Fine. Just surprised." He managed, gesturing to the strap-on.

Adalyn raised an eyebrow, "That good, huh? I can turn down the intensity if you'd like, Dagna taught me how."

Krem nodded, "That might be wise."

He patiently let her fiddle with a switch at the base of the dildo, and felt relieved when she ran her hand over the glass once and slight sensations carried over. He could work with this.

"Do you think you can take this?" He asked, palming the glass and looking to Adalyn for the go ahead.

"'Do you think you can take this?'" Adalyn mimicked snarkily. "That's, what? Six and a half inches? Sixteen centimeters?" She scoffed; there was defiance in her tone, as well as a subtle challenge.

Krem could play coy, too.

He smirked and leaned her back again, resulting in a smug eyebrow raise on Adalyn's part.

"Let's just start with one finger to get you… accustomed." He said with a grin, cutting off Adalyn's offended look by sliding a single digit into her. She bit her lip and frowned, this isn't what she had wanted.

He began to move it slowly in and out of her; she sent him a very bored look and crossed her arms over her chest.

Oh, so she thought this wasn't enough?

"What is it, exactly, that _Your Worship_ wants?" He asked, trying to lure her into enjoying herself again. He knew what calling her by that title did to her and he secretly reveled in it every time she flushed pink and began muttering.

Adalyn uncrossed her arms and planted her hands over her eyes, "It's embarrassing, stop, don't call me that." She protested halfheartedly and squirmed a little.

"YourWorshipYourWorshipYourWors-"

"FINE! Fine." Adalyn grumbled, "I want you to add one more finger, pick up the pace, take them out and then fuck me so hard with your little birthday present that I'll be walking funny all the way back to Skyhold."

"Alright." He said.

"What?"

"What my Lady Inquisitor wants, _she gets_."

Then he added another digit to her and picked up the pace instantly, curling his fingers occasionally to hit her in her most sensitive area. She groaned, and he felt her clench up around his fingers in a steady pulse.

Krem added to the momentum, his eyes glazing over slightly as he watched her back arch up. A senseless muttering spilled from her lips as she turned her head to the side, her eyes fluttering closed.

Krem caught Orlisian words amid the blissful rambling, he didn't understand much of it, but it sounded like she was near the edge.

Just as she was about to come undone he took his fingers away, and Adalyn whined impatiently as he did so, not wanting to lose his touch.

Krem took the shaft of the dildo in his hand and aimed the head at her entrance, swirling the tip around her slick to get it wet.

"Krem, please," Adalyn whimpered.

Krem pulled her up and switched positions with her, leaning back on the pillows and looking up at her. He put his hands on her hips and guided her to kneel over the glass head.

"Do you want it?" His voice sounded low and ragged with fervor, making Adalyn run her hand down his torso and position herself better over it and lick her lips eagerly.

She sunk down onto it with no hesitation and gave an elated gasp when it went even deeper than Krem's fingers had.

"Move," Krem commanded, trying to hide the full extent of the effect the magic had on him even as the sensations of her seemed to ache around him, wet and hot and tight. It was his first time feeling like this, it felt like the strap-on was an extension of himself, like a bundle of nerves her never knew he had.

Adalyn began to move up the blown glass shaft slowly, he watched, almost in a trance, as the base disappeared again and again into her. When he looked up to her face he saw one of the most adorable expressions he had even seen on her face; a bit lip, closed eyes, and a slightly furrowed brow.

Her eyes flicked open when she felt his stare and she stopped moving in surprise.

Krem gasped as the sensations ached raw and the wet glass met open air, he needed the warmth of her again, he needed—

He took her hips and slammed them down to his, forcing the glass all back in her at once, she cried out in something Krem associated with pain and he immediately came to his senses and stopped.

"Adalyn! Are you alright?! I hurt you, didn-"

He moved the hair out of the way to look at her face and felt surprised to see her rosy lips trembling in lewd pants along with tears in her eyes that had not fallen.

"N-no, It was… an electric shock, in me, from that." She pointed to the strap-on and shivered anxiously.

"If it's hurting you, then why didn't you use the safe word?"

"I asked for it to do that." She interrupted.

"You, what?"

"I asked Dagna to make it do that. I wanted it to shock me, so that during the battle with the dragon I could get excited and wet just from feeling all the energy in the air."

"You spent the entire battle fighting the dragon and thinking of me doing this to you?"

"Y-yes," She shivered in agony as he put his hands on her hips and applied pressure, just like he did to her back on the dragon to keep her from flying off.

"And you like it?"

"Yes,"

He ground her against him and she gasped, her fingernails raking his shoulders.

"You want more?"

"Yes," She begged fervently.

He abruptly lifted her off of him and got her facing away from him on her hands and knees on the bed.

He knelt behind her and felt for her entrance again, angling the head to brush up against it.

"What else do you like?" He asked,

She mumbled something and he gripped her ass hard, "What did you say?"

"I said I like that! I like to be scolded." She announced without warning turning to shoot a glare over her shoulder at him. "And I like it rough. But only from someone I… ya know… _trust_." She muttered in embarrassment.

Krem made a thoughtful noise and began to push back into her, a gasp tearing from her lips as he did so. He moved more roughly than before, letting the friction build between them.

"You said the dragon made you feel aroused, were you even paying attention to the fight?" He growled lowly in her ear, moving his body to bed over hers, his chest against her back. He supported himself on one and wrapped his other around her chest, feeling her breasts press against the inside of his forearm.

Adalyn whimpered, trying to grind back against him again to receive an electric shock. "I was mostly watching you…"

"You weren't even trying to look out for yourself? What if you had gotten hurt?" Krem gave in to his inner worries, and slowed down his hip's movements.

"You're not naturally good at this, are you?" Adalyn sighed fondly, reaching back around behind her to grab his wrist and plant his hand on her ass.

"If you are alright with it: hit me. If you are so worried about how much pain I can take, see for yourself."

Krem felt startled, and slightly uncomfortable with the request, but he said nothing about it as he pulled away from her again and raised his hand in the air to bring it down hard… but he stopped.

"I'm sorry, I can't." He said, feeling guilty that he couldn't.

Adalyn turned fully around and cupped his face in her hands and looked him squarely in the eyes, "Krem, if you're not alright with something, just say so. We're here for you, too. If you aren't feeling good then something is clearly very wrong." Her gaze was filled with tender concern, and all he could do was take one of her hands and place a soft kiss on her knuckles.

"I should be the one asking _you_ what it is you want, and do my best to teach you the reigns. After all, I _am_ the more experienced one of the two of us." Adalyn grinned in delight.

"Says who?" Krem challenged, encasing his lover in his arms, effectively pulling her into his lap and kissing her on the underside of her jaw.

"Says everyone I've ever slept with, silly! Which is, by the way, quite a few people if I do say so, myself."

Krem raised an eyebrow and spun her around, pushing the smooth, still drenched, dildo back into her.

"How many people, exactly?" He asked quietly, bringing one hand to hover in the air next to her backside.

Adalyn saw what he was doing and raised an eyebrow, "I thought you didn't wanna hit a girl,"

"I changed my mind." Krem said sharply, reaching up to grab a fistful of her hair and tug on it roughly, "Tell me: how many people have you been with before me?"

Adalyn leisurely grinned, still on her hands and knees, "I don't know, too many to count, I suppose."

Krem smiled to himself and pushed deeper inside of her, "Try and remember, then. Who was your first?"

"A Tal-Vashoth pirate by the name of Strider; a friend of Lock-Flint's." Adalyn called easily.

Krem drew his hips back from hers and brought his hand down hard on her ass cheek, leaving a hand-shaped mark.

Adalyn cried and moisture began to drip down her thighs, Krem felt awe at how aroused something as little as a hit had made her.

Krem slid slowly back into her this time, bringing his lips closer to whisper in her ear, "Who's next?"

She shivered and gasped, "Armand Du Castalon, a wealthy traveling Orlisian merchant, I had my way with him and before the sun rose, made away with all of his possessions."

He drew out and hit the same place again with his hand.

Oh, Maker, with the way she was trembling against him he wondered if either of them would make it to the end of her list of lovers.

"A series of one night stands I'll never remember," Adalyn listed feverishly,

The sound of three cracks ricocheted off the walls as he hit her hard on the other cheek three times.

He growled with a deep thrust into her from behind, and more names tumbled from her lips.

They both got caught up in a whirlwind of pain and pleasure until something that had been building up inside both of them shattered.

Electricity dancing inside of her, Adalyn screamed his name in ecstasy and came just as he groaned and climaxed, shoving one last time into her, before collapsing in a tangle of heavy limbs onto the mattress.

They lie there panting for a while, and eventually Krem rid himself of the sweat-soaked strap-on and put it to the side to wash off. He came back to the bed and saw a sight that made his dry mouth water; her heat was still weeping from the abuse from before, Krem thought it a waste to have it dried up or wiped away with a dampened washcloth.

He took a moment to pour a mug of water and chug it as Adalyn looked on curiously. He put down the cup; his lips wet again, and knelt down by her legs.

He parted her clenched thighs with his hands and Adalyn began to question what he was doing.

"Hush, Love." He said lightly, quickly silencing her as he bent down to capture some of the beads of creamy liquid with his lips and tongue, Adalyn responding with only a pleasured mewl as he began to suck.

She tasted of saltwater on his lips, although the flavor was light and too insubstantial to overwhelm him completely.

She was, in many ways, like a storm-tossed sea beneath him; wild and mesmerizing in its movements. And he in many ways, he thought, resembled solid ground; stable and constant, like his arid homeland.

 _We complement each other, I think._

Once he had lapped up the remainder of the moisture and resurfaced from his thoughts he found Adalyn panting dryly as she reclined on the stack of pillows. He wiped his mouth again and reached for the water pitcher to refill the mug, this time giving the cup to Adalyn, who took it gratefully and took a long swig of its contents.

All he wanted to do now was wrap his lover in his arms and sleep until dawn, and maybe even past that if she felt inclined to spoil him…

The cup, once empty, was slammed down heartily on the side table and Adalyn's arms wrapped around Krem's neck.

"What about you, Krem?" She reached down to touch him, but he caught her hand.

"Next time," He said with a quick kiss to the tip of her nose, "Right now I just want to sleep."

Adalyn smiled and reached up to playfully ruffle his hair, "Clothes or nah?"

"Nah." He decided, and settled down by her side, tugging the blankets up over them.

"Was it good enough, though? For you, I mean." Adalyn asked after a moment of quiet.

Krem slid an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, loving the soft brush of her skin against his in a moment like this.

"Yes. I mean," He hesitated, pressing a kiss into her neck, "Better than 'good enough', more like better than great!" He said with tired enthusiasm.

"Hm," Adalyn made a thoughtful noise and moved restlessly in his arms.

"What?" He asked, knowing she wasn't going to settle down and sleep on account of her deep thoughts.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Right now?" He asked with a sigh,

"Yes,"

"I'm thinking about how a certain lover of mine bears certain resemblances to a fabled sea siren."

"Oh?" Adalyn squirmed in curiosity to face him.

"Except, I just remembered, you have less than superb singing abilities. Instead of luring sailors, you'd warn them of the danger with your ruckus. I've decided you'd make a lousy siren."

She tried to clumsily slug him for that last bit, but he lightly batted away her arm with a chuckle. She buried her head in his chest and pouted, resigned to sharing a bed with the slight offender of her feelings.

Krem reached down to tug a few of the furs to cover them more, and then slipped his arm back under the covers for warmth.

"'Night, Krem." She mumbled sleepily, her energy finally draining completely.

"Good night, Your Worship." He said softly, placing a kiss on her head.

And as he closed his eyes, he began to dream of a small cottage on the Storm Coast, and of the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore, and of the soft call of the gulls…

* * *

 **Ooohhh, this chapter was sure fun to write! Believe it or not, it was my first smut write ever. I'd like to thank my friends who helped me scour the rough drafts for inconsistencies and what not!**

 **Anyway, without further ado, the themed drink for this chapter: Dragon's Blood.**

 **(This recipe was made by Mamrie Hart, find her on YouTube, she's so hilarious)**

 **You'll need:**

 **-1 dragon fruit (surprisingly expensive)**

 **-Half a lemon (unless you want the whole one, you hardcore bastard)**

 **-Gin**

 **-Ginger beer**

 **How to make:**

 **Take a shaker, p** **ut some of the dragon fruit in it, (however much you want) and then smash that shit with a pestle, wooden spoon, or other blunt utensil. Then squeeze lemon juice over it, (however much you want, it's your life). Put some ice in the mother fucker. Next add gin (about a fourth or a half of the shaker). Place that shaker cap on and shake well. Then uncap it and top with significant amounts of ginger beer.**

 **Garnish with more dragon fruit, lemon, actual dragon's blood, whatever you want.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and the recipe attached, please leave a review telling your thoughts on everything.**

 **S.T.**


	22. Three Arrows

They were here on the Storm Coast again.

It was as rainy and dreary as Adalyn remembered; already she was struggling with her damp hair getting stuck to her face and in her mouth.

Krem's arm brushed past her waist as he stopped to give her a quick peck on the lips, "See you in a minute." He whispered, then drew back to stand attentively with the rest of the Chargers.

Adalyn nodded smilingly, feeling still slightly embarrassed at the open shows of affection Krem showered down on her in front of the rest of the company. They all, however, took it in stride. Rolling their eyes at their kisses and picking on Krem about it when she wasn't around.

She turned to the Iron Bull, "I'm ready to go, where is the contact meeting us?"

"Just a little ways ahead, come on." He said, and lead the way to a small encampment encompassed in trees near the cliff's edge.

"Alright, our Qunari contact should be here to meet us." Bull said, looking around as they paced to the cliff's edge.

'He is,"

The contact stepped out of the copse of trees and smirked, popping his hip.

 _That's an elf._

Was the only remark Adalyn succeeded in processing.

"Good to see you again, Hissrad."

Bull grinned and put his arms out in welcome, "Gatt! Last I heard, you were still in Seheron." He remarked, still grinning enthusiastically at the contact.

"They finally decided that I'd calmed down enough to go back into the world." Gatt said drolly.

"Boss, this is Gatt. We worked together in Seheron." Bull said in introduction.

"Nice to finally meet you, Inquisitor. Hissrad tells me you have been doing god work." Gatt said, turning his attention to Adalyn.

"This guy's name is Hissrad?" Adalyn asked, jerking her thumb in Bull's direction.

"Under the Qun, we are assigned titles, not names." Gatt explained.

"My title was 'Hissrad' because I was assigned to secret work. You can translate it as, 'keeper of illusions' or-" The Iron Bull continued.

"Liar. It means 'liar'." Gatt said bluntly.

"You don't have to say it like _that_." The Iron Bull growled, seeming way more genuinely angry than Adalyn had ever seen him.

Note to self: never call Bull a lair. He will probably pulverize you.

"And my name means noble. And does it make me who I am? _PSHHHHH_." She scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Names don't make the person, and neither do titles. Bull's fine just the way he is! Especially after saying all those good things about me in his secret spy reports." Adalyn grinned and waggled her eyebrows to Bull, "Did you tell them that I am a great beauty with a fantastic sense of hygiene?"

"So much for secrets." Gatt muttered.

Bull sent him a glare, "Look, Gatt-"

Gatt put his hands up defensively and shrugged, "Don't worry, unlike our superiors, I know how it works out here, and right now the important thing is stopping that ship and stopping this new 'Venitori' cult from seizing power in Tevinter."

"With this stuff the ship is carrying, they could make their slaves into an army of magical freaks." Bull added grimly.

Adalyn cringed and thought back to the Red Templars she fought and saw die before her eyes from the growth and decay. Then she thought of Krem's father, a slave in Tevinter somewhere. Innocent people like him forced to ingest red lyrium and become living weapons.

Adalyn saw her primary goal as sinking the boat, stopping the shipment. The alliance with the Qun would just be an added benefit of the arrangement.

"Our Dreadnaught is safely out of view, and out of range of any Venetori mages on the shore." Gatt reported, "We need to take out the Venatori camped out on the vantage points in the cliffs here. There are two points which the Venatori are camped at the shore-" In pointed, "There," he said, "And there. We'll need to split up and hit both at once."

Adalyn didn't bring anyone else besides Bull and his Chargers due to Bull mentioning the fewer people, the less room to fuck up.

Adalyn wondered how they would split up. Would Gatt fight alongside them?

"I'll come with you, Boss." Bull said, "Krem can lead the Chargers."

Adalyn nodded approvingly and let him split off to find Krem and fill him in with the details of the mission.

She did, however, make faces at the Chargers behind Bull's turned back, trying to make them break their serious demeanor.

Skinner sent her a wicked smile and said, "They'll be dead before they know it."

"Just… pay attention, alright? The Venatori want this red lyrium shipment bad." Bull grumbled for the fifth time.

"Yes, I know. Thanks, Mother." Krem sassed dryly with his arms folded.

Adalyn snorted at that and bent over and covered her mouth to keep from guffawing.

"Qunari don't have mothers, remember?" Bull said not unsoftly.

"We'll be fine, Chief." Krem said seriously, straightening up.

Bull sent him a crack of a smile that Adalyn barely caught out the corner of her eye, and she found herself smiling too.

"Alright, Chargers! HORNS UP!"

They all yelled, "HORNS UP!" and stuck their arms up in the air, their fingers forming the shape of Bull's horns in an adorable personal touch.

The Chargers all sent her winks or salutes before marching off to go to their point.

Krem glanced over to her and smiled warmly, giving her a wave, which she returned. He turned back to the Chargers after that without another word, and led them down the forested path.

…

They had cleared the point and lit the signal flare. The battle had been a cinch, between her and Gatt's daggers and the Iron Bull's crushing blows, all they awaited was their sea-borne allies.

Adalyn felt a chill run up her spine when she saw it, the _Dreadnaught_ , come out of the briny fog and into firing range of the Tevinter schooner.

She remembered going up against one of those things back when she was still on the Demon's Gale.

It wasn't even a fair fight, they didn't even get a chance to board the Qun's war vessel before it blew their maker-damned ship to fucking splinters underneath their feet.

The crew escaped in two long boats to an unclaimed island in the Venefication Sea and used that place as a waypoint to the Tevinter shore. That was the first and only time she had since set foot in her lover's home country. After the crew had reached shore they hired a boat to take them back to Rivan to pick up their spare ship, and since then, they had never dared to go head-to-head with a dreadnaught.

Adalyn had to pinch her arm to keep from yelping in fear when the cannon was fired from the war vessel, and the Tevinter schooner took the hits, the deck splintering and burning instantly.

Adalyn knew with a ship that size with only two decks would be under the waves in less than a few minutes.

Bull laughed and crowed at the successful blow, "Nice one!"

Adalyn felt a pang of discomfort in her chest upon hearing her friend's revelation in the other ship's demise.

She knew it wasn't her ship under attack from the Qun's wrath, this was the Venatori; the enemy.

This was the mission, right? She should do what she set out to do, hold the vantage points so that the Dreadnaught wouldn't fall under attack, and thus cement the alliance between the Qun and the Inquisition. This was for the best.

 _Right?_

Lock-Flint always told her stories of the Qun and its oppression. Was it wrong to work with a force that was powerful, but only kept that power through mindless aggression and essentially brainwashing?

 _I know I can't change the Qun through alliance like I did the Templars, I'm not even guaranteed that they won't turn back on their deal. But the important thing is done, the Venatori ship is down._

Adalyn was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't understand at first why The Iron Bull had groaned, "Crap,"

She leaned forward and squinted down to the shore, following the Qunari's gaze.

Then she saw it; a group of Tevinter mages and soldiers that had hidden along the cliff's edge in the blind spot, walking to the vantage point that the rest of the Chargers now held.

She did a quick count of them and hissed, "Shit! They outnumber them! It's twelve to four, Bull! BULL?!"

"Yeah," Bull said slowly, reluctantly.

"Your men need to hold that position, Bull." Gatt reminded him, stepping into the Iron Bull's view, forcing the Qunari to look at him instead of the Chargers.

Bull turned to his friend with a one-eyed glare, "If they do that, they're _dead_."

"And if they don't- the Venatori retake it and the Dreadnaught is dead. You'd be throwing away an alliance between the Inquisition and the Qunari! You'd be declaring yourself Tal-Vasoth!" Gatt cried.

Their voices faded away and her vision became pin-point focused on the Chargers as they held their position. Adalyn felt her breathing quicken and her chest tighten in fear as she saw Krem and the others ready their weapons, clearly preparing to face the odds.

She extended her hand to the beach, trying to call up her magic, make the 'Vints explode like she did at the Winter Palace, anything! But her blood magic was long gone, and her own magic without it were small and useless.

The Venatori mages and fighters were already up their way to the vantage point, Dalish doing her best to slow them down with ice. Then the archers set up to take aim, they had not moved very much since they appeared, but they had a great angle to shoot the Chargers from.

They held their longbows at the ready—Bull was still talking, not looking—Adalyn wanted to scream for the Chargers to look out, but no voice came—and they fired.

She was shaking, reeling as if she had been the one who was shot, gasping in pure terror as she saw three arrows protruding from Krem's shoulder and back.

He had run up to shield Stitches, who had been the most defenseless on the edge of the cliff, and took the bolts meant for the medic.

She knew she couldn't be the one to order the retreat. It couldn't be her. If she did, it would be because she was showing favoritism. Now, she didn't want politics in her way, she wanted to scream at Bull for a retreat. She also realized she couldn't ask him to betray his people.

She knew.

Adalyn sent a look up to Bull, trying to silently let him know it was up to him: her hands were tied.

"Bull…" She whispered, her voice sounded tear-choked, pleading.

He looked down at her and something in his gaze said he understood.

He glanced at the horn at his belt, and took it off. He looked up at the Chargers, who were still holding the point as best they could, and raised the horn to his lips.

"Don't-!" Gatt started, but he was cut off by the call of the horn.

Adalyn saw the Chargers begin to back away defensively to the meeting point, Krem leaning heavily on Stitches to even move.

"They're falling back," The Iron Bull sighed in relief.

"All these years, Hissrad, and you throw away all that you are—for what? For this?!" Gatt asked disbelievingly, dismayed and no doubt shocked by The Iron Bull's actions. He paced at the cliff's edge, looking out to the water where the Dreadnaught floated precariously.

"For them," He turned back around and jabbed an accusing finger at Adalyn.

But at this point, it had no affect on her. She probably would have felt offended, but she was tired of his yapping. Everything was said and done; bye-bye Dreadnaught.

"His name is The Iron Bull, you fucking ferity ass-hat." She snapped dazedly and turned to walk away. "He isn't a liar."

She felt Bull's hand on her shoulder suddenly, a comforting motion, "Come on, let's get back to the boys."

She numbly followed behind The Iron Bull, staggering four steps to every one of his, and kept walking to the meeting point even as the Dreadnaught exploded in the sea behind her.

…

When they reached the camp Adalyn almost fainted from relief; Krem was still awake and no vitals seem to have been hit by the arrows, thank the Maker.

Krem ground his teeth together in pain and annoyance as Stitches worked on pulling the arrows out of his left shoulder and back. They sat on an over turned log under a stone outcrop Dalish and Skinner on a boulder nearby.

"Relax your damn muscles, Krem." Stitches had his brow knit in concentration as he attempted to pull the arrows out, which clearly was going nowhere. "You're clamping down on the arrowheads; it's making it hard to-"

"Stitches, how's he looking?" Bull asked, coming to stand closer and inspect Krem's wounds.

"Been better, Chief." Krem chuckled, grimacing in pain imminently after. Adalyn could tell he was trying hard to stay conscious, blinking his eyes rapidly to keep them working.

"That's my boys for you!" Bull roared, but it seemed softer than his normal boasting tone. Adalyn cold tell Bull felt pretty shook up too, seeing the Chargers backed up against the wall like that.

Stitches turned his head slightly to acknowledge his boss, "Tell Skinner to stop messing with her arrow, I'll get to her in a minute after…"

Adalyn sat on Krem's other side as she looked over to the elf in question.

Skinner had an arrow sticking out of her upper arm that she mildly inspected as if she were viewing a pebble. Dalish fussed over her lover's wounded arm until Skinner just outright yanked the arrow out.

She turned to look squarely at the slack-jawed healer and shrugged, "It came out." She said blankly.

Stitches cursed and went over to help her stop up the oozing of blood from the wound. He turned to Bull and said a little tiredly, "If you want to help Krem and Skinner get better, you can go into the woods and find me some blue flowers with red thorns."

The Iron Bull nodded, "Alright, you got it! Blue flower, red thorns." And he went off into the rainy forest.

"That should get rid of him for a while." Stitches muttered, before wiping down his needle to stitch Skinner up.

Adalyn eyed the healing supplies Stitches left behind and placed her hand gently on Krem's wounded shoulder.

"Turn to me slightly, I'm going to try and take these arrows out."

"Fine," Krem said, twisting gingerly to expose his back to her. He made a grab for some of the elfroot and lotus potions, the ones good for pain-killing, but Adalyn slapped his hand away.

"Nope. If you take one now, the wounds will close faster and the arrows will be stuck in you forever."

"Forever?" He repeated, sounding a little like a pouty child, "Can't I just have one so that I can forget the pain a little?"

Adalyn sighed and pointed off into the trees, "Hey! What's that?!"

Krem looked away to where she pointed and she quickly grabbed the base of the arrow and pulled one out while he was distracted.

"OW!" He yelped and hissed,

"Why are you such a overgrown child?"Adalyn chided, "It's just an arrow."

"How many arrows has Your Worship been riddled with?" He challenged.

Adalyn began counting; she had taken one to the left shoulder, three to her left leg, one to her right, and one had grazed—very closely, she might add—to the back and side of her neck, where she still had a scar. (She covered it with a choker at formal events, but she thought the story was rather entertaining and a great way to spend après le diner.)

After a while of her talking, and her hand softly caressing his shoulder, she felt his muscles relax enough again, so she quickly grabbed and pulled. The second arrow came out.

Krem, at this point, was tired of her tricks and wanted some pain relief. He stood shakily and shuffled away from her as she attempted to wrangle him back down to his seat.

Just then, Bull came crashing back into the clearing, horns and body covered in blue flowers with red thorns, startling the couple.

First it was Adalyn who slipped on a small rock as she took a step backwards, and she was gripping onto Krem, who naturally went down with her.

He landed on top of her in a mess of limbs and she quickly went to support his right shoulder so he didn't have to use it.

"You know, if you wanted to get rid of me, you just had to say something, Krem-Puff." Bull snorted and looked amusedly down at where Krem and Adalyn fell on a mossy patch of ground.

Krem struggled to get up and off of her, and he did manage it with her help, as he confronted his boss with a royally pissed attitude from the pain in his shoulder.

"Oh, come on! That is the last thing on my mind. _Her Worship_ here was just- _AUGHH_!" He screamed as she ripped the final arrow out while he was distracted.

He turned slowly around to look at her as she triumphantly twirled the arrow in his face.

"OW." He said pointedly, and sat back down on the log.

Adalyn handed him two potions and sat down to wash some of the blood from his back until Stitches could stitch Krem up.

"What did you need these for, anyway?" Bull asked, plucking some of the flowers from his body and regarding them with curiosity.

"Oh, those? I just wanted to get you out of the way so you could stay out of my poultices." Stitches said dryly as he finished wrapping Skinner's arm in gauze.

Bull's pride was wounded, but the Chargers got patched up pretty nicely. They made their way back to one of the Inquisition's main camps further inland and camped in those tents for the night.

Adalyn made sure Krem drank a sleep potion and some chamomile tea before he went to sleep, and she lie awake listening to his steady breathing until morning, just to convince herself hat he was going to be fine.

And though she had light-heartedly teased Krem earlier, just under the surface she was truly upset that her mission had put him in a situation that could have very easily become his last mission.

She stroked his hair and tuned him back over whenever he tried to sleep on his wounded shoulder.

He was going to be fine.

She wasn't going to lose him to a couple arrows.

Not today.

* * *

 **Hey, guys! S.T. here! I always love to know what you think of this story, so please leave a review, PM me, etc...**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I think a new one will be out next week.**

 **Bye-bye!**

 **S.T.**


	23. Hidden Secrets

Maker, he missed her.

Krem stretched out his arm lazily into the sheets, the pit of his stomach heavy with melancholy. His fingers ran over the coral whistle on his necklace over and over, maybe hoping that she would magically appear if he wished hard enough.

The injuries he sustained would have made it difficult for him to participate in the battle in the Arbor Wilds- not that it mattered anyway. Everyone had insisted he and Skinner stay at Skyhold and recuperate, they had put up a good fight in their attempt to rejoin the Chargers for this campaign, but they had caved in the face of Dalish's worried puppy-eyes and Adalyn's threats to tie them both to the rafters of the tavern.

He sat up restlessly in bed and yanked the sheets off his body in irritation.

He wished he wouldn't sleep in her bed when she was gone; the bed seemed too big without her throwing her leg over him in her sleep. His bed was better sized for just him alone, but he found himself addicted to the lingering scent of her in their shared bed, so there he stayed.

He felt deep in his gut that he was missing a damn good fight.

Adalyn had mentioned that Orlais was aiding the Inquisition with spies, scouts, and chevaliers. Krem had always wanted to fight alongside a chevalier, but life apparently thinks shooting three damned arrows into his shoulder is a better idea!

He grumbled as he yanked a heavy trunk out from under the bed. Krem threw open the lid and began digging through the finer fabrics; satin, silk, velvet, soft leather to come to the plainer ones, cambric, wool, and dornick.

He found the burnet, a dark brown soft woolen cloth, and began making a plain pair of trousers.

Not fancywork, like the dresses he was making on commission for Adalyn.

Some of them were done, but a few were still a work in progress.

If his father only knew he was working with such fine fabrics and threads, commissioned by a Duchess (Adalyn's grandmere, no less), the old man would surely not believe his eyes!

 _He would be so proud of-_

Krem's thoughts halted, and his mood darkened. He set down his newly-threaded needle and the burnet cloth onto the bed.

 _Would he be proud of the man that I am today?_

A chill ran down his spine as he found himself remembering his mother's letters.

 _Would my mother?_

He took a deep breath in and physically shook the thoughts from his head. He stood up and walked over to the water basin Adalyn kept in the side room, grabbing the hand towel and soaking it in water.

He washed his face and upper body after casting aside his undershirt, then threw the towel in the laundry bin to go find some clothes.

Krem slipped into his light shirt and breeches that he usually wore underneath his armor.

"I should practice." He muttered to himself, flexing his right hand and twisting his arm around to test the extent of the strength in his mostly-healed arm.

If he was sneaky, he could probably get away with practicing for two hours before getting caught by an Inquisition medic.

He pulled on his boots and headed down to the training field to exercise, avoiding the medics situated below the main staircase and going around the back of the tavern to the training dummies. Krem nicked a standard Inquisition sword from the requisition barrel and lifted it, testing its weight.

He grabbed a shield off the rack and went over to the training dummies, assuming a defensive stance in front of the wooden opponent.

Lunge. Slash. Counter… nothing.

He sighed and cast away his sword and shield in frustration. No matter how much he hit it, the dummy wouldn't fight back. It'd _help_ if it put up a fight.

"Tough, yeah? Not having anything the friggin' hits back." Sera called down from her roof-perch to him.

He glanced up at her and squinted through the sun in his eyes, "You want'a help with that?" He called back.

Sera threw down her bow and quiver in response and jumped down after them, slinging both over her shoulders.

"How do you like arrows?"

"Not well." Krem winced, glancing at his mostly healed shoulder.

Sera grinned and danced around on her toes in delight; she swept up a small bucket from the ground and clutched it to her stomach. She reached into the bucket and withdrew something and threw the object at him faster than he could think.

He sputtered and ducked, grabbing for the discarded shield where it lay in the new spring grass.

Krem retrieved it and hastily tried to strap it on, his fingers fumbled and he abandoned the task, instead focusing on the airborne beige and purple blurs hurtling towards him.

"Herald's not the only one who looks at you, yeah?"

He blocked whatever it was just in time with his shield, "What?" He asked, trying to follow Sera's train of conversation.

"You're fit, good enough face, heard nice tits, too. You're a looker." Sera said, almost contemplatively as she flung another projectile.

"What's it to you?" He asked, wondering where this conversation was going. Not every day someone complimented his face or tits.

He lowered his shield to catch it and save his pants from the evident splatter that came with the projectiles. Pies, they were festival pies. And by the looks of them, they were castaways.

"Herald's a lucky girlie. To have you. But not so much for the whole 'Inquisitor thing'. She puts up with meetings and greetings and shite like that, balls-deep in ancient elvan ruins, which should JUST STAY RUINS!"

"Are you worried about her?" Krem asked, jumping back to avoid a pie to the foot.

"Like Andraste's ass I am! She's just-" Sera broke off in frustration, dropping her pies and raking her hands through her hair, "Dealing with freaky elvan-shite, and I can't even put arrows in everything! She had knify-shiv dark guys try to kill her before she left! And I can't shoot shadows!"

Krem put down his shield and went over to her, "Sera, calm down, and tell me why you're so-"

"Upset?!" Sera threw down her arms, nearly letting them smack onto

"When you get reminded that someone who's _supposed_ to be untouchable, like Andraste, the Herald. It's scary when you realize you're wrong. That they can die at any time. They're _supposed_ to be _forever_ , you know? What am I supposed to do if someone comes along and _ends_ her? What am I supposed to believe?!"

Krem thought carefully how to interpret Sera's words into a coherent message, "You fear that someone will touch Adalyn and then she will lose her holiness and no longer be the Herald of Andraste?"

Sera scowled at him at first at his take and then the anger seemed to ebb away with a spark of realization beginning in her eyes, "You don't know." She said, her voice soft with disbelief.

"Bull didn't tell you? Or the Herald? Or the Spy?" Sera laughed breathily and smacked her hands to er face as if to clear her mind.

"Tell me, _what_ , Sera?"

Sera looked hesitant, digging her red shoes into the mud and looking anywhere but him.

"Assassins, they tried to kill Adalyn before she left for the south, or wherever."

Krem's eyes widened at the news. And this certainly was news. He hadn't heard whisper or tell of assassins in Skyhold save for the Montilyet incident.

"Assassins tried to kill Adalyn." He repeated incredulously.

Sera nodded silently, pursing her lips as if to keep further secrets in. Her eyes darting around, scanning the area.

"I was with her doing pranks when one dressed as a soldier came into Cullen's office and attacked. I was…" Her fingers fidgeted and she flinched under his gaze, "Not ready. She killed him, but. She was so close to being…"

Krem pursed his lips together and breathed in slowly, taking it all in.

Adalyn had been attacked at Skyhold and hadn't even bothered to tell him.

 _Shit!_

He cursed inwardly, but thanked Sera for the practice.

She kicked the loose grass on the ground with her foot and mumbled a 'you're welcome'.

Krem left her there and put up his sword and shield, engrossed in his own thoughts. He should ask Liliana about what happened.

He began his trek across the courtyard and up the steps, through the hall and door, passing Solas' empty desk and up to the rookery where the Spymaster watched over Skyhold.

"Seneschal Liliana? May I speak with you?" He called out as he approached the top of the stairs.

The Spymaster sent him a cursory glance above her reports and motioned him in without a comment.

"You have a question, I take it." She said concisely.

"About the assassins who attacked Ad—I mean, the Inquisitor."

She sighed and rested her reports down onto the table, sitting down and indicating for him to do the same.

Krem dragged the stool out so he could sit on it, all the while feeling an uncomfortable silence settle in their air.

"She didn't tell you," Liliana said plainly, as if stating a fact she already knew. "Sera told you."

Krem swallowed hard, some of his nervousness got caught in his throat. Liliana tended to have this affect on people, so he tried not to take it personally.

"Yes." He admitted, "And I was wondering, if you know, why she didn't tell me."

Liliana's face adopted an almost serene look as she gazed out to the rafters of the rookery, "Love sometimes means that we wish to hide our fears and pain from those we love because we do not wish the same harm to befall them."

"But! I mean- If she would just let me know, I could protect her, help her-"

Liliana shook her head, "I once felt the same way as you, when I was younger and much brasher. I thought that I could take on the whole world, if it just meant I could go back to the day when my love faced the archdemon and take the final blow for her." She looked down at her gloved hands with a despairing smile, "I didn't know until the killing blow was struck that my dear Warden was dead, that she had decided to give her life for the very world, as was her 'duty'."

She spoke softly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear in a rather human motion. Rarely did anyone see her in such a venerable state. Speaking of her fallen lover was clearly a topic not often breached.

"But I realized that my 'duty' was not to take the blow for her, but to remember and honor her memory. In a relationship, communication is important, but so is sacrifice and trust." She continued earnestly.

Krem pursed his lips in thought, "I am more than capable of protecting her and watching out for potential assassins, begging your pardon. I am not a child, and I don't appreciate being treated like one."

Liliana nodded quietly, "I thought you might say that. The truth is, the assassination attempts weren't the only things she was keeping from you."

Krem's eyebrows shot up in shock, "What?"

"Krem," Liliana leaned forward slightly, drawing a sealed envelope out from her desk drawer.

"She asked me to find your parents."

The world seemed to halt in that moment. And then slowly, like molasses, begin seeping along at the pace his mind was able to process the words she had spoken.

"Why?" His voice cracked, "Did she—did you…?"

"I think she intended for it to be a surprise, but given the situation, it seemed fitting to show you that not everything she does in secret is terrible. And yes," She slid the envelope to him across her desk.

"I did find out where your mother is living, and where your father is…working."

"Thank…you." He said, still feeling numb. He reached for the envelope on the table and hesitated to take it, his hand hovering over the parchment. "May I?"

Liliana swept a hand, an indication for his to take it. "You will find enclosed a letter by your mother, Lieutenant. I will let you know, I did not read it, nor did any of my couriers, it is yours to read and yours alone."

She stood, indicating that their conversation was now over.

He took the envelope from the desk and stood, giving a casual bow and leaving the rookery for somewhere he could think.

…

He chose to read the letter in the peace of the deserted Charger's barracks, curled up on the bottom bunk of the creaky double-bed that he occasionally shared with Grim.

Krem fingered the lip of the envelope and felt lost when he looked at the Inquisition's official seal stamped in green wax, a color indicating that the contents were for the eyes of the Inquisitor only.

Each of the Advisors had their own colored wax for their seals so that they knew whose letters were whose. Varric came up with the idea. He used this for knowing which letters to send to his editor and which ones to send to the Dwarven Merchant's guild; once, he had mixed them up and had sent the latest chapter of Swords and Shields to a very unamused patron of the Merchant Guild's.

Finally, with a sigh, he broke the seal and up ended the contents onto his bed.

Two folded pieces of parchment paper, one looked like the standard Inquisition paper and insignia, and the other looked like it was on nice stationary.

He picked up the folded page with the insignia on it and looked inside tentatively.

The report inside read:

 _Subject: Manius Aclassi_

 _Occupation: The subject remains a servus publicus in Trevis, near the border to Navarra in the Tevinter Imperium._

 _Status: Alive*_

 _*The subject seems to be suffering from poor health, noted: coughing blood._

Krem breathed a sigh of relief,

His father was alive, but by the sound of it, his health was failing him.

But what could he do, he wasn't even near Tevinter! And what would he do—or say to his father, now?

" _Hello, Father. I've been gone for a while. Ran away from the army. Joined up with a Qunari mercenary's band. How've you been?"_

Krem decided to put the report away for another time; he picked up the second paper. This one was cream-colored stationary, finer than any kind of paper that his family had used back in Tevinter. Krem wondered if the Inquisition had lent his mother stationary to write on.

 _Cremissa,_

Krem wrinkled his nose. This was off to a bad start already.

 _I heard from the 'Inquisition agent' that you are now a sell-sword under a religious cause. I do not see what this has to do with me. Do what you like. You have already broken our family enough. Keep to your world and I will keep to mine._

… _I have married again. This time, I found a noble in Nevarra, a wealthy widower, and now I live with him at his estate in relative comfort._

 _No children from my previous union would be a welcome to the household, you must understand. There would only be shame if you decided to show your face here to my new husband and his family._

 _Maria Tarverna_

Wetness stung the corners of his eyes. He breathed in and out sharply to prevent the still-born drops from falling, but to no avail.

Sobs wracked his body, and he lay in a ball curled inward into himself on the mattress.

He hadn't wanted to know what came of his mother after he left, not really.

Knowing was painful.

Why did Adalyn have to go and rob the grave of long-buried resentment?

Why did he choose to open that letter in the first place?

Why were they both like this?!

…

Night rolled around, and Skinner eventually did the same, coming into the room smelling of moonshine.

"Krem. Krem." She poked his inert form, her breath hot and stinging on his ear. "Krem. Did you eat? I ate. So MUCH. I beat…" She waved her arms for emphasis, "EVERYBODY."

He rolled over to face her and cracked a weak smile, "That's nice, Skinner."

"There might be some left, but not much. Because-"

"-You ate it. Yes, I know." Krem sat up in the cramped bunk and rubbed his eyes, thinking of food the first time that day. His stomach growled.

He took that as his signal and stood, cracking his back as he stretched.

Skinner shuffled over to her top bunk and began fluffing the rags she piled up on top of the mattress to make a nest.

Krem left her to it and left for the kitchens, not feeling like going to the tavern and seeing people at the moment.

He slipped into the side door and into the warm kitchen, the embers resting cozily in the hearth.

There was much leftover bread from the morning, and corn and basil soup from lunch and tubs of fresh-picked Marionberries, (grown around Skyhold and quite a hit with the visiting clerics).

He spooned the soup into a wooden bowl and thought.

 _I can't stay like this. At some point, I want to find my father and somehow buy his freedom and take him someplace to live in relative comfort._

 _This is something I must do by myself, if Adalyn gets involved she'll wave a hand, and it will be done. By strangers, no less._

 _Also, there's the fact of favoritism._

 _Most of the nobility are spinning around rumors of the two of us. It's hurting her reputation. I know that she abandoned her opportunity for an alliance with the Qun to save me._

 _I'm a weakness, a liability._

 _Every time she's around, I can't help but be so taken with her, but when she's away I start to forget why we even work._

 _Maybe it would be better if we…_

He finished making his plate and ripped a chuck of bread, placing it in the soup to sop up the broth.

He turned to get the bowl for the marionberries, but then stopped dead at the sight of Adalyn standing with her back pressed to the closed kitchen door, her hair damp and wearing nothing but a light nightgown.

His skin prickled in shock and in a little fear. It was as if she had known, and calculated, that he would be here. Something was defiantly different about her since he saw her last, a month ago. A certain light in her eyes had changed, it was deeply unsettling.

He thought he was seeing things. Surely, she could not be back so soon? The trip back had been anticipated to be a month at most, how did she travel the distance so quickly?

The firelight flickered across her skin, painting in shadows across her face and arms.

Her lips parted to speak, but before her voice could put to words what her eyes were saying he stopped her.

"I think we should break up."

* * *

 **Alright, guys, I really need you to make a decision on the double.**

 **Real quick; who drinks from the WELL OF SORROWS? ADALYN or MORRIGAN?**

 **Thanks for reading this chapter, I hope to take less time on the next one.**

 **S.T.**


	24. Reclaimation

Almost instantly, the door to the kitchens slammed into the wall.

"Inquisitor!" Josephine and Cassandra cried, rushing to Adalyn's side and gripping her shoulders

Adalyn took in all of this in a sort of dazed half-trance, her eyes slipping down and to the side, no longer fixed on Krem.

She couldn't quite put it into words, but with all these new voices from the well, all pouring streams of constant sensory information into her mind and system that she felt very out of sorts.

She wasn't just here in the Skyhold kitchen with Krem, she wasn't just feeling Cassandra and Josephine's hands on her shoulders. She also felt the rush of wind across a field of tall grass, tasted the salt of a cresting ocean wave, heard ancient songs echoing in long-dead temples, and saw the reflection of Andraste in the dying flames of the hearth.

Adalyn gazed into the embers, lost in her own mind. Not speaking, but swaying slightly.

A child's laugh tickled her ears… she felt the soft brush of a dove's feather across her cheek.

Where was she, again?

"Inquisitor, you left your room! Lady Morrigan said you should be resting until you are…" Josephine struggled for words,

 _Normal,_

She thought.

"Feeling better!" Josephine chimed, not voicing the truth that popped into her head.

Adalyn stopped paying attention, answering would take too long; her mouth felt like lead. Instead, she began to shuffle over to the hearth, closely followed by a watchful Cassandra.

The fire looked so warm, and Adalyn felt icy waters begin to encase her chest, it would be so nice to just lay down where it would be warm…

A panicked shout rang through the air as Adalyn fell towards the embers, and then only darkness and voices in a long dead tongue.

…

Adalyn had never given her elvan lineage much thought, but now, she had no choice but to acknowledge it; for she was surrounded by the spirits of the long dead sentinels in the Fade.

They stood watch over her, whispering knowledge, showing her things unprompted.

The Fade looked different from before. With Dazai gone, it had been cold and dark. Now, the chill was still there, but the curtain had been lifted, and she was surrounded by The Crossroads; pale skeletons of sculpted trees in a dead, endless landscape dotted by broken mirrors and dead warriors.

" _Garas quenathra?"_

 _Why have you come here?_

Asked a tentative voice, the translation echoed like an afterthought through her mindscape.

" _Ma banal las halamshir var vhen!"_

 _You did nothing to help your people!_

Accused another voice.

"But I did! I cooperated with the sentinels at the temple! I wanted to help them, I really did!" Adalyn protested, spinning around to find the source of the voice.

" _You only care when is convenient for you, Shem! You deny your own blood!"_ Snarled the same voice.

" _Seth'lin_ _!"_

Thin _blood!_

Mocked another voice.

" _Len'alas lath'din!"_

 _Dirty child whom no one loves!_

Tears stung her eyes and her vision became blurry. She stopped trying to search for the source of the taunting, it was all around her.

" _You are worthless to the Gods!"_

" _Ma halam."_

 _You are finished._

…

She awoke suddenly, but did not sit bolt upright as she usually did when awakening from a nightmare. Her body felt sluggish, as if someone had decided to drop seventeen sandbags on her chest, legs and arms.

She managed a soft groan, which alerted one of the bystanders in the room.

And there were a lot of visitors, Cassandra hovering worriedly by the doctors, Morrigan comparing notes with Liliana and the Inquisition physicians.

Adalyn could hear Josephine keeping nobles at bay by the door and the click of Vivienne's impatient heels on the balcony.

"She's awake."

Suddenly all eyes were on her and the muttering quieted.

"Can you sit up, my dear?" Vivienne asked softly, pacing over to the bed and gazing down at Adalyn's inert form.

Adalyn parted her lips and attempted to say 'no', but all that came out was a wheeze.

Both Cassandra and Vivienne helped Adalyn sit up and sip water as Josephine slammed the door on the nobles and came up the stairs to fluff and prop up Adalyn's pillows.

When she drank three cups worth of water, the three women dissipated from her bedside to confer over the next course of action.

Solas chose that moment to hurriedly enter the room, looking worse for wear and terribly sleep depraved.

"Deep elvhan magic is at work here." A dark look hung heavy in his eyes, the magic implied was not good to say the least.

"What are the effects of the Well?" Liliana asked him, looking curiously on from over her letters.

Solas gave a despairing laugh, "Spymaster, this well has never been consumed by any one person before, the known effects are what you see." He gestured to Adalyn where she sat up on the bed waith her hands folded in her lap.

"The Inquisitor seems to have circulatory problems; symptoms light-headedness, fainting, numb limbs." Noted the physician.

"And to think that was almost me," Morrigan sighed, "I really dodged that arrow."

Cassandra shot a glare at the witch, "Fortunately, The Inquisitor is a strong woman. She will live." She said determinedly.

A clamor was heard as the door to the chamber was thrown open.

Everyone whipped their heads around to see Cole come bounding up the stairs, no longer able to poof himself wherever he pleased.

Cole skidded to a stop before the bed and grabbed Adalyn's hand in his, words spilling from his mouth all at once in human panic.

"I tried to stop him, but his heart was set. The Iron Bull gave him leave and now he is gone. He didn't wait for you, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't make him stay. He left for Nevarra."

"Make who stay, Cole?" Solas asked, his voice now softer.

"Krem."

…

Adalyn sat, practicing moving her fingers and arms.

Physical therapy was a pain, even more so when she had the occasional vision during her training.

She would be pulled away from reality and into a dream-like state of experiences. Often she'd dream of past wars, hidden locations, or sometimes just simple scenes of children playing or a glade of flowers in the light breeze.

She was taking her time with her recuperation; relearning physical capabilities from Bull, Vivienne, and the physician, and mastering the voices and scenes in her head with Solas and Morrigan.

She was in no hurry to go after Krem, after all, the spirits had granted her a vision of memories. Eluvians well hidden by the world would lead a path to the heart of Nevarra.

Where he took time to go, she could close the gap in a manner of seconds.

"Why don't you try standing, hmm?" Vivienne instructed, taking her arm and aiding her to a standing position.

From there, Adalyn strode as gracefully as she could across Vivienne's balcony. Sometimes she was forced to stop and regain her bearings so as not to lose her balance or fall into another vision of chaos.

She was determined to

"I-I want. To dance. Madame Vivienne, if you wouldn't… mind." Adalyn said haltingly.

Her speaking was improving.

Vivienne smiled graciously, "Of course, my dear. You simply must be able to present your best self at court soon, else the Orlisian nobles will have a tiff!"

The mage swept Adalyn up into a simple box-step dance, patiently counting out numbers in time to their steps, making it easier to follow along.

Adalyn eventually settled into the rhythm of it and smiled a little as Maryden came and played for the practice.

She would first reclaim her body, her mind, and then… if he wanted, Krem.

 _Soon._

…

Adalyn had been asking Cassandra all week about Nevarren customs and traditions and clothes and food so much that the Seeker had figured out the destination of her little adventure.

Her speaking was almost completely back to normal, it was just a little slowed and her body could move almost as gracefully as she once had, she was ready to go to Nevarra.

Adalyn sat on her bed, planning on what to take with her on her trip to Nevarra when Cassandra entered the bedroom and stood next to her, eying the near-empty bag in Adalyn's hands.

"I will come along," Cassandra said brusquely, folding her arms menacingly as she glared down at Adalyn, who was packing a small bag of essentials to take with her.

"You would come along?" Adalyn asked hopefully.

"Of course, Liliana, Cullen, and Josephine have everything under control here. There is no reason I cannot accompany you."

Adalyn turned around and hugged Cassandra, who sputtered and twisted, but eventually accepted the embrace warmly, awkwardly patting Adalyn's back.

Adalyn draw back and looked up to Cassandra, "I have spoken with Josephine; I will be attending the Duchess' Games in Navarra city at the Anaxas' Etsate. The nobles anticipate my arrival within the week, would it not be a lovely surprise to bring Princess Cassandra Allegra-"

Cassandra rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated huff, "Yes, I will go with you. Although, I detest all of the foppery of the court."

"Then, I suppose I will need this," Adalyn said, drawing the midnight blue velvet dress out from the small truck and holding it out. Krem had just finished the low-backed number before he left, and Adalyn had tried it on for size, it fit perfectly.

Cassandra's eyes widened, "Oh, its beautiful! It looks just like what I saw in my mind!"

Adalyn smiled mischievously, "You helped him design this one after Nevarran fashion, didn't you?"

Cassandra blushed, "I might have… It was just so romantic! I couldn't say no when he asked me to help."

"No, no! I think it's wonderful! Thank you, Cassandra." Adalyn lay the dress on the bed and folded it. "Do you think I could wear this to court?"

Cassandra nodded enthusiastically, "Yes. I have one formal dress that is in nearly the same style in a sort of muted gold color. I will bring mine."

A knock came from the bedroom door, to which Adalyn called softly, "Come in!"

Dorian came up the stairs, followed by Josephine, both carrying small boxes.

"What's all this?"

Dorian smirked and shrugged, "Our dear Ambassador told me about your little excursion, and I was appalled at the thought of you going into the Nevaran court half-dressed!"

"But I won't be half-dressed, Dorian!" Adalyn giggled and Dorian set the box on the bed and lifted the golden lacquered lid.

He withdrew fine golden chains from within and untangled them; they seemed to be connected in the form that would drape over a person's neck, shoulders, chest, and back.

"I know for a fact that one of the reasons why your magic is weak, is that you do not have a conductor for it, because you insist on using daggers as only daggers. Most mages use a staff, however, in Tevinter, we wear jewelry that we can channel and simplify our magic through."

"You think it will work for me?" Adalyn asked tentatively, gaping at the fine golden chains held aloft in the mage's hands.

"I am almost completely positive. And it will look fashionable, too!" He winked and put the chains back into the box. "These should fit you. They once were mine back when I was an apprentice, when I was… seventeen, I think. I sent for them along with many of my former possessions after father and I broke contact."

Adalyn threw her arms around Dorian, "Thank you so much,"

He chuckled and tightened the embrace. "I don't consider this full payment for everything you've done for me."

They broke apart and Josephine stepped forward excitedly, bring forth her wooden box.

"This was made by Dagna," She began, opening the box.

Inside, nestled in deep green velvet, a golden crown shone. It had the Inquisition's symbol as the centre piece with three spikes protruding from the top. It looked warlike and powerful but graceful at the same time.

"It helps to shut out the voices inside your mind from the well, and should help you maintain consciousness at the party."

Adalyn grinned and said, "I guess I shouldn't try and break it, then."

* * *

 **Hey, guys! Truth be told, I actually wrote both versions of this chapter. One where she doesn't drink from the well, and then this one. I waited until the scales were tipped to post it (although I really did like this chapter better, to be honest!)**

 **Please let me know what you think in the Reviews,**

 **Yours always,**

 **S.T.**


	25. Father

The heat of the sun beat down on the rocky plains of the Nevarra-Tevinter border.

Krem was sweating in his armor even with a tarp over his head as he sat in the back of the rickety trade-wagon he paid to take him and drop him off in Trevis.

He had brought a couple of things with him from Skyhold, one of the things -Maker bless his memory- was sun ointment: a cream applied to the sun to repel the burns left by the sun.

Krem rummaged around his pack and withdrew the wooden bottle, taking the cork out with his teeth and spitting it back into his satchel. He slathered some of the oily cream onto his palm (gauntlets were way too sweaty to wear in this early summer whether) and smeared it all over his neck and face.

Once done, he put the cork back in the bottle and dropped it back into his satchel. They were nearing his hometown, he could tell by the big stupid-looking rock formations by the mines in the distance.

He had to go back, he knew it. He was going to find his father and figure out how to pay for his freedom. Bull had even loaned him some extra money for not only the travel expenses, but also in case money _was_ the only option to bring his father home.

Krem was just looking ahead one day at a time, back to how he was before he was with Adalyn. She had made him believe he could have a future, like they could be a family.

But he started having doubts about their relationship.

He cursed at himself and buried his head in his hands, feeling the shame creep up on him in his memories. A playback of when he saw her faint after he asked her to break up with him… _Oh, Maker…_

He shuddered.

It was all his fault. He hadn't known that she had come back ill for whatever reason, and just blurted it out, and he had made her collapse.

He heard as he was leaving that Cole and Josephine were trying to track him down to tell him what happened, but he didn't want to hear it.

Krem was weak; he went back to his homeland.

He rocked back and forth to try and sooth the memories and settle his mind… it wasn't working.

"Hey—uh—kid! Town's coming up here pretty soon! Get ready t'head on out!" The merchant driver called from the front of the wagon.

"Thanks!" Krem called back, and shouldered his pack, giving himself a hard punch in the thigh to get himself out of his head.

They were on the rough streets within the minute, the bustle and humdrum of day-to-day life along a narrow road was a familiar sight. Even more so were the barracks that Krem was once stationed at, the place he left when he made the break from Tevinter.

And now his father was working here in the mind as one of the servitus publicus. What irony.

Krem hopped off the back of the wagon when it stopped to unload cargo. He helped the merchant take the crates out of the back and set them up by the stall in the market rotunda.

"You didn't have t'do that, thanks kid." The Merchant gave him a friendly pat on the back and turned back to his stall.

Krem grabbed his pack once more, slinging it over his shoulder. He waved goodbye to the merchant and started walking over to the mines where the slaves worked to mine and refine ore.

If his father was anywhere in this town, it had to be there.

The mines were on the floor of the canyon below, just outside the town by a mile. Rigging was hooked to the large reddish-rock formations so that elevators could go up and then down to the canyon floor, carrying slaves, supplies, and mine carts full of ore.

Krem skirted around the barracks when he neared them, the packed mud and stone houses reminded him of bittersweet things.

The exhilaration of training, consistent pay, and the armor were the good points, the bad ones… well.

Not all of the soldiers had been of his class or from the same poor background. Even when the soldiers didn't know about… other things, they still loved to pick on him.

He saw the pointed cowl of the Overseer in the distance, and the whip on his belt. The man in charge, the one he needed to talk to.

Before reaching the mines, Krem walked and counted his coins.

Thirty gold, it should be enough.

He neared the man, who was speaking to some of the other enforcers and steeled himself to speak up.

"Excuse me, Overseer; there is a matter I would like to discuss."

The talking halted between the Enforcers and the Overseer turned around slowly and inspected Krem, eyeing the small Kirkwall symbols on his pauldrons.

"And what can this Overseer do for a Free Marcher?" He asked, almost mocking, crossing his arms.

"Not a Free Marcher, I am of Tevinter, same as you. I have come to bargain for the freedom of my father; Manius Aclassi."

The Overseer looked behind him to the enforcers behind him and laughed, "There is no man by that name here."

Krem frowned, surely the information the Inquisition gathered was accurate, unless…

"Is he dead?" Krem asked, stare boring into the Overseer, watching for traces of dishonesty.

"Good as, really." The Overseer said, looking back to Krem once more, "Surely you know, that every man here in this mine is a dead man? They are criminals for the death row or are too ill to live more than a couple months."

"…All the same, I'd like to negotiate his release." Krem stated again, unmoving.

The Overseer heaved a tired sigh and rubbed his forehead, "Even if I could, I-"

"You, _'what'_ , Overseer?"

Interrupted a female voice.

A woman stepped up next to Krem and crossed her arms, glaring at the Overseer.

"Well?" She asked imperiously, "You realize that this operation in itself is illegal?"

Krem regarded the newcomer; she was dressed in Tevinter fashion, darkly with lots of unnecessary straps, but her lighter hair and eyes suggested Orlisain heritage.

 _A visiting foreigner…?_

"And on what ground are you claiming this operation is illegal?" the Overseer challenged, placing his hand threateningly on his whip handle.

The woman grinned slyly, revealing a rather large gap in between her two front teeth.

"Why, this mine's ore is supposed to be sent to your partnering company, the refinery, correct? Well, the administrators in Minrathous over mineral extraction and production expect a ten per-cent tax on the goods you produce here, so why is it that only ten per-cent ends up in the coffers of the magisterium?" She asked rhetorically as the Overseer stammered and flushed a deep magenta.

"It is because you illegally count your and also the refinery business as only one enterprise, when in reality, it's two." She finished while chuckling lightly to herself, "Fraud will only get you so far, however, so you needed labor,"

By this time a small group of muscled warriors approached, bearing spears and shields with an all-too-familiar symbol on them.

 _Venatori._

 _SHIT._

"The condemned dead have certain legal protections, even as the servitus publicus." The woman continued, ignoring the advance of the Venatori, "Once pronounced condemned, they are removed from service and to a rest home, which," She said, looking around blankly, "I do not see here."

"Alright, little girl, so you caught us." The Overseer laughed nervously through gritted teeth as he eyed the now circling Venatori, "What are you going to do about it? Tell a Magister?!"

The woman smirked and cracked her neck muscles, "No need: I am one. And I'll be reporting your corrupted ways after I've killed you."

…

Everything had descended into bloody chaos.

Krem wasn't sure how exactly to react when the Overseer drew his whip and roared in fury or when the apparent Magister hurled lightening at him and his compatriots, blasting them apart within seconds.

Moments later, more enforcers approached, some more hesitant than others to attack. The Venatori sprung to action without signal and slaughtered any enforcer that dared to bear a blade, however, they left alone those who hid or cowered.

Finally, when the surface was clear, the Venatori readied the elevators to take themselves down to the mines below.

The woman calmly turned to Krem, who had merely stood there in a daze, "So? Are you not coming down to find your father?"

Krem blinked then registered the information, "Oh, yes."

And numbly followed the Magister to the elevator, but took precautionary glances around at the other Venatori just in case.

He cautiously stepped onto the railed platform next to the Magister, just praying to go in, find his father, and get out quickly. But then again, nothing ever ran smoothly.

As the elevator began lowering on the pulleys down into the canyon, one of the Venatori leaned down to Calpurnia and asked,

"Magister Calpurnia, what should we do when the Inquisitor arrives?"

A vicious grin spread over the Magister's features, "Of course, we will give her a warm welcome."

"The Inquisitor?" His voice squeaked a little. What was going on? Were they planning to ambush her?! Never mind that; what was Adalyn doing in Tevinter in the first place?!

"Just be quiet and forget you heard that, and we will all get along just fine," Calpurnia turned a tight smile to him, giving him the impression that she could probably kill him before he could even draw his sword.

"Right," He said, turning his head to face front again, careful not to let any panic betray him on his face.

The elevator continued it's decent, taking him farther down and closer than he had been in years to his father.

If only he could somehow warn Adalyn of the danger!

…

Calpurnia paced in front of the line of slaves with the roster in her hand, she scanned up and down the names and called them out in order.

The slaves were bony, thin, many looked ill or almost dead. They were dressed in threadbare clothes stained with oil and blood and sweat. Krem felt his heart ache for all of the families of these poor souls.

The small group of Venatori were outside setting up camp on the canyon floor by the thin river that wound through the crevice.

The Magister had kept Krem close so that he could find his father, but also probably to make sure he didn't run away and warn the Inquisitor.

Krem was fairly sure she didn't know that he was a part of the Inquisition, but the pointed side-glances she shot at him said that she didn't trust him.

"Manius Aclassi!" She called, her voice echoing through the mine shafts and down the tunnels.

A thin bony hand and wrist floated up above the head of the seated crowd and Krem felt his heart jump at the sight of it.

"Father!" He called out, not able to contain himself. He stepped forward to the edge of the crowd, but looked back to Calpurnia, checking to see if she would stop him.

Calpurnia waved him on, sighing about 'touching family reunions'.

Krem turned back to the crowd and carefully stepped through the thin seated figures who shuffled out of his way so he could go to where his father was.

Finally, a man he once knew and yet barely recognized came into view.

His father looked like he hadn't shaved, bathed, or slept for a month, and his body was very thin, almost bones covered in nothing but skin. The eyes, however, were unmistakable: soft, kind brown eyes hidden under bushy eyebrows.

Krem felt a wave of emotion come rolling in, and his voice choked up.

His father looked up at him vacantly squinting until a spark seemed to light,

"Krem?"

All Krem could do was nod as his father stood up shakily, those around him helping him to do so.

He put his weak arms gently around his armor and leaned against him.

Krem first felt shock, when did he get taller than his father?

A moment passed, and he pushed every thought aside to hug his father back with all the ferocity of love. Krem had to consciously remember to hug with less force so as not to crush the actual life out of his frail father.

"I found you!" Krem was laughing and crying, "We should… I should take you back to Skyhold," He said, calming a little and drawing back from his father, but still holding him by the shoulders.

"Do you think you can make the journey?"

His father just smiled vaguely at him for a while, not responding

It took Krem a minute to realize his father was no longer lucid and hearing or even really seeing him.

"It's alright," Krem said, forcing a smile, "We can talk about it later."

…

With all of the slaves accounted for, Calpurnia had all of them head outside to eat and rest for the night.

Krem followed his father closely, who just drifted with the crowd like a sheep following the heard. His father's condition of health in body and also mind bothered him. How was he going to get his father back to Skyhold safely and without—

"Yo,"

The interjection broke his thoughts.

He smelled curry.

Krem turned to the voice and saw Adalyn grinning and waving at him from beside a giant stew pot over a bonfire.

His mind went completely blank in a panic as he strode over to her quickly, "Did anyone see you?" He hissed, grabbing her and pushing her into a crouch behind the pot and away from the crowd.

"Uh…? Yes?" She said, "I just got here about thirty minutes ago and set up this huge shindig, I figured the Venatori were bound to notice."

"What are you doing to the Inquisitor, soldier?" A plain voice asked from behind him.

OH SHIT.

"Oh, hey Cal!" Adalyn said chipperly, with a wave to the Magister behind him.

Calpurnia heaved a sigh upon hearing the nickname, "If you would desist, Inquisitor, we have business to discuss."

"Ah, yes." Adalyn stood, brushing the canyon floor dust off of her trousers.

"You two…?" Krem managed, standing and turning to watch the two of them go over to stand by one another, not seeming to want to kill each other.

"And this was the correct 'man who broke my heart and ran off to Tevinter to find his long lost father', I presume." Calpurnia stated, turning to raise an eyebrow at Adalyn who snorted in amusement.

"Correct!" She sang, "Although, I don't remember saying it quite like that when we met up at Skyhold."

Calpurnia turned away, hiding a small smile, "I will leave you to catching up and making the food, _chef_." She said as she walked away.

Adalyn grinned, "Leave it to me! I have instructions!" She held aloft a sheaf of paper with spidery handwriting scrawled across it.

"Are you actually going to us-"

Adalyn chucked the instructions into the bonfire and began humming merrily.

"Why are you like this?"

She ignored his comment and smiled up at him, "Will you bring over the crate marked 'spices', please Lieutenant?"

He looked to the side a couple feet and saw that there were several supply boxes, no doubt full of food, medical supplies, and clothes. Krem went over and found a smaller box that was marked with the word and had vials and jars inside. He picked it up and carried it over.

Adalyn opened the lid quickly and grabbed a dark glass jar from inside and screwed the lid off.

"Why are you here?" Krem asked. He was utterly confused on the account of Adalyn and Calpurnia's friendship and he had a feeling that it had to do with whatever happened in the Arbor Wilds as well as the last three weeks.

"Oh, that's easy." Adalyn said, taking out a spoon from a bucket at her feet and dipping it into the jar she held. "I wanted to talk to you."

She scooped out a large gob of dark red jelly from the jar and dumped it into the pot. "Do you think this needs two spoons?" She wondered, squinting into the thick steam rising from the would-be curry.

"You came here all this way to talk to me?" Krem asked dubiously.

"Pretty much," Adalyn said nonchalantly, "Travel is easier with elluvians, I got here in less than a day."

Krem looked around unbelievingly at the crates she had brought, and saw that Cassandra had taken a seat nearby the crates.

"You brought all this, how?"

"Through a giant-ass mirror on a pull-cart, duh. Now help me decide how much of this I'm putting in!"

"What is it?" He asked, a little distracted by her speculative measuring, he looked to the jar in her hand.

"Chili paste," She said, scooping out another spoon. "I think it needs more."

She grabbed a huge spoon from the bucket at her feet and gave the curry a stir, tasting a little of the hot liquid from the edge of the spoon. She wrinkled her nose and hung the large spoon off to the side to spoon literally the rest of the jar of chili paste into the pot.

Krem watched her go up on her tiptoes to reach the big spoon again and stir the curry in the pot.

Her body outlined by the flames of the bonfire reminded him of how she had collapsed upon hearing…

Krem set the box of spices onto the ground behind himself carefully and turned back to her.

"You don't…" Krem hesitated, "Hate me, right?"

"Why would I hate you?" Adalyn asked calmly, continuing to stir as if he hadn't ever asked anything.

"I wanted to break off our relationship, and I hurt you, didn't I? I mean, you collapsed."

Adalyn stopped stirring and let out a roaring laugh. She hung the spoon up afterwards; wiping mirthful tears from her eyes she turned to face him.

"No one told you? I drank some ancient elvhan god-wisdom water in the temple, started hearing things, and fainted! I was in an out of consciousness for a week after that because of whatever was in that water, not because of what you said!"

Krem was shocked. First at the news, then at himself for not asking right away what was wrong with Adalyn in the first place.

He reached down tentatively and held her face gently, "I am so sorry, Adalyn! I-"

A slow grin began creeping across her face and a wicked glint came into her eyes,

"So fresh with me this evening, Lieutenant! Do you not have your own woman?"

Krem frowned, cocking his head to the side, studying her expression, "But, I have you?"

Adalyn shook her head, removing his hands from her face playfully,

"I am not seeing anyone at the moment, Lieutenant. I thought you knew that. I mean," Her devilish grin suddenly made sense, he groaned in vexation.

"You were the one who called us off on the first place." She finished, crossing her arms and looking rather pleased with herself.

"I know that," He sighed making a grab for her hand, "I was an idiot, would you take me back, please? I love you,"

In spite of his heartfelt plea, she turned her hear away and voiced a very childishly clipped, "No!"

Then she danced away from him and laughed impishly.

He took after her, and tried to capture her in his arms.

"I was thinking about playing around for a while, maybe considering some marriage proposals, I don't know…" She mused, hopping up onto the crates and jumping over Cassandra's head to get down.

 _She isn't serious… Is she?_

"Wait! Adalyn!" He called, circling around Cassandra to catch up to Adalyn, who darted for the pot again, grabbing some spices from the box and chucking the indigents in haphazardly as she went by.

"Addie." He caught her just as she put the bottles back into the box, his arms around her waist holding her tight against him.

"WHAT." She snapped, squirming to face him, looking up at him with a scowl, her playfulness gone.

"Were you really serious?"

"About what?" She asked with a sigh.

"The marriage proposals, were you making that up?"

The idea of Adalyn marrying for wealth or status to benefit the Inquisition made sense, but it made his stomach twist into knots at the sheer thought of it.

"No, I'm not making it up. There are a few proposals that have come in already since the Winter Palace, and a handful of them… Josephine says would benefit the Inquisition, and a few that Grandmere approves of, and I am willing to give them a shot because of that. You are not the only reason I came here."

Krem's heart sank and he released her from his arms.

Adalyn went over to stir the curry, adding in the beef and let it sit before she spoke again.

"After checking in with you and your father, and making sure you both get home alright, aside from bringing the Venatori and Calpurnia back to Tevinter, I came here with Cassandra to make an appearance in the Nevarran court, participate in the Duchess' games, and meet two of my potential betrothed."

At the word 'betrothed' Krem felt rather faint, so he sat down heavily on a nearby crate.

"You're sitting on the blanket box. It's getting rather cold now that the sun has gone down. Would you mind helping me pass out the blankets, Lieutenant?" Adalyn asked coolly.

Krem staggered back to his feet hurriedly, "Sure,"

She nodded curtly and ripped the wooden lid off using her magic and gathered an armful of blankets, Krem followed suit, and soon all of the former slaves had blankets to keep out the night chill.

…

The curry turned out unusual but great, hot in the mouth and warm sitting in the stomach.

Krem took a bowl of it over to his father and sat with him while he ate. When some of the curry spilled over the edge of his father's mouth he pulled out his spare handkerchief from his bag and used it to clean up the excess.

He had taken off his armor and set his pack by the discarded pieces, all laying on the blanket that they had gotten from the crate.

Soft footsteps approached behind him, he looked over his shoulder and saw Adalyn sit down on his father's other side.

They were quiet for a moment, and then they both tried to speak.

"You first," Krem offered,

"Is this your father?" She asked.

"Yeah, or what's left of him." Krem sighed.

Adalyn nodded sympathetically and then turned to look to his father.

"Good to finally meet you, messiere." She said softly,

His father turned and gave her a watery vague smile, which she seemed to take as a good sign. She smiled back warmly.

Krem watched this exchange and leaned over to her behind his father's back, placing his hand tentatively on hers.

"Adalyn, may I go with you to Nevarra?"

"I don't see why not." Adalyn said quietly, looking down into her lap, sliding her hand slowly out from under his.

"Just know that it would take a few more days for you and your father to return to Skyhold. And that we will be staying with Duchess Ravria Anaxas in her guest rooms, of which I have requested two. You would be able to stay with your father, and Cassandra and I could share a room. Would this be suitable?" She asked, seeming to be avoiding any sort of eye contact with him.

"Fine by me, after all…" He lunged forward quickly and kissed the exposed side of her neck, "I've got to win your heart back some way. How better than by staying by your side always?"

She had turned around in flustered indignation, rubbing the spot he has kissed with her hand, and made eye contact with him, causing a slight flush to rise in her cheeks. Krem marked his success by a shit-eating grin.

"Be ready to leave early in the morning," She said crossly and she stood and left without so much as a 'goodnight'.

Once she was gone, Krem set aside his empty bowl onto a stack of other empty bowls and lay down on the blanket stretched out underneath him.

"Shit! I still can't help myself around her." He cursed, rolling onto his side and tucking his arm underneath his head. He would sleep tonight, rise tomorrow, and follow her to wherever her journey took her.

* * *

 **So a girl knows how to tease, amirite?**

 **And yay! SO emotional! Krem got his father back, (more or less, but I promise he will get better).**

 **I love Calpurnia so much. She is such a bae.**

 **Let me know if you liked her or not, and please SUGGEST WHAT KREM COULD DO TO FOIL POSSIBLE MARRIAGE PROPOSALS! (Because he would and will)**

 **Thanks for reading this chapter and please look forward to the next one!**

 **S.T.**


	26. Suitors of All Kinds

Adalyn breathed in to collect herself.

She opened her eyes and took in the sight of herself,

Draping blue velvet that was cut daringly low in the front and back, her auburn hair hung loose around her face, the light golden chains wrapped around her neck and chest gave the outfit the finishing touch. Adalyn regarded the crown resting on her bed. It would help her control the visions she sometimes had, but with the simple dress and chains already in place, it seemed gaudy.

A knock came from the door, startling her.

Frantically, she straightened out her dress and chains across her back and went to answer the door, thinking it was Cassandra.

Krem waited on the other side in his borrowed apparel, a red sash was tied from his waist to his shoulder over a grey vest and undershirt and tight black pants tucked into boots.

Maker, he was beautiful. His pink-tinged lips were just so kissable-looking and those pants… _umf._

She felt a blush coming, so she looked down. She wanted to last at least the night.

 _Make him jealous. I can do that. It's revenge. Right. If he shows enough jealousy tonight I'll go down on him all night long._

 _NO DON'T THINK SEXY THINGS!_

"You…"

He sounded stunned; she had forgotten to tell him that she chose to wear one of his dresses tonight.

She looked up, "Um, I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but it was done and it fit perfectly on me and for the event, so…" She felt uncertain about her choice of dress now.

His eyes suddenly went soft, "It looks wonderful on you, I'm glad you wore it, Your Worship." He murmured low, leaning in to brush his lips to her ear briefly.

Adalyn straightened her posture and stepped out into the hall, away from him.

"Professionalism, Lieutenant."

He pulled together quickly, offering his arm to escort her.

She took it and they began walking together to the party in the parlor downstairs.

"Where is Cassandra?" Adalyn asked, genuinely wondering where her friend (who was supposed to be the one taking her downstairs) was.

Krem laughed lightly, "Ah, she was captured by the social mob downstairs. She sent me a desperate look and I took the hint to go get you."

Adalyn laughed, "That sounds like her, poor Cassandra!"

They descended the stairs that overlooked the spread out circular tables covered in lightly draped cloth. University students, professors, nobles, merchants, and adventurers mingled over tea and brandy, discussing politics, magic, and philosophy.

As they nearly reached the foot of the stairs, Adalyn coaxed Krem's ear down to her level and whispered,

"Do you know anyone here?"

"Aside from Cassandra?" He questioned and then straightened back up to full height, "Hopefully not."

"'Hopefully not'? What do you mean by-"

"AHH! INQUISITOR! SO GOOD TO FINALLY MEET THE HERALD OF ANDRATSE IN THE FLESH!"

"Oh boy," Adalyn muttered to herself and forced her head up and commanded a smile to her face,

"Duchess! The honor is all mine!" She curtsied while still holding Krem's arm, forcing him to bow down with her.

The woman in front of her could only be described as heavyset; to call her voluptuous would be a kindness. She filled out her vivaciously red dress well, however. The garment at least attempted to holding all of her in, save for the neckline, as it was more like a sternum-line, following Orlisain fashion it did not cover most of her breasts and the slightest movement from the Duchess threatened a scarring sight.

 _Dear Andraste, please do not let her move slightly wrong this evening. I wish to keep my cool and sanity. Yours- Adalyn._

She prayed quickly as she released Krem's arm to step forward and plant a kiss on her hostess' proffered hand.

The Duchess smiled widely at Adalyn and caught sight of Krem standing at attention behind her.

"You did not tell me that there would be such a handsome escort here with you tonight, Inquisitor." The Duchess Anaxas prompted, glancing appreciatively back at Krem.

"Forgive my manners, Duchess Anaxas. This is Lieutenant Cremisius Aclassi of the Bull's Chargers, my personal guard for the evening."

The Duchess adjusted her dress in attempt to play coy. It wasn't working, but it was making her neckline sag lower.

Adalyn sent up another quick prayer Andraste and a bonus shout out to Mythal, whoever could help, really.

"And, if the Lieutenant is free from duty later, would he indulge me in some amicable conversation as well as much needed Antivan Wiskey?"

Adalyn turned to look back at Krem, "You need not linger by my side the whole evening. As long as either you or Cassandra is in my attendance I would be just fine."

 _Say yes, I fucking dare you._

Krem never turned to look at her; instead he was locking eyes with the Duchess and smiling charmingly.

"Of course, your grace. I would love to spend part of the evening at your side."

 _OH THAT MOTHERFUCKING-_

"Excellent!" The Duchess giggled and clapped her hands. Servants appeared to lead Adalyn and Krem to an the previously appointed table; a little placard standing up on the table read: "Table 19".

At the table sat a couple of mages and a few nobles speaking with animated gestures, they all looked up from their friendly debate when the two approached.

"I am Inquisitor Adalyn Chastain, a pleasure to meet you all. I look forward to tonight's main debate."

There was a moment of silence as the group all turned to look at Krem standing at her side.

She gave him a nudge in the ribs and he unfroze,

"I am Lieutenant Cremisius Aclassi of the Bull's Chargers, personal guard to the Inquisitor."

Greetings came from around the table enthusiastically as each of the party-goers at table nineteen introduced themselves.

"Greetings! Malonius, here! Circle mage from Minrathous. How do you do?" A cheerful Tevinter altus said, giving a wave and adjusting the glases that had slid down his stooped nose.

"Quinta." The next mage said bluntly. Her black nails and robes stood out against much of the red and greens of the hall, "I work in the Grand Necropolis feeding the dead."

"Er… what exactly do you feed the dead?" Adalyn asked, feeling morbidly curious all of a sudden.

"Cake," Quinta said with a nonchalant shrug.

"OH! I wonder what it tastes like." Adalyn commented.

Quinta reached into her shawl and withdrew a small, round brown cake.

"Here,"

Adalyn took it from Quinta's hand and stuffed it in her mouth without a second thought. Behind her, Krem groaned at her thoughtlessness.

She chewed and considered.

It was a bit dry and chock-full of spices, not terrible.

She grabbed a teacup from the table and knocked back the chai within to wash the crummy cake down.

"Pretty good. Kinda makes me want to be buried in Nevarra."

Quinta frowned at her, "That cannot be-"

"Unless you marry into a Nevarran family," Interrupted a smooth voice, they all turned around to see a young man with his hair braided in a similar manner to Cassandra's standing behind them.

"Which," He continued, all the while moving toward the table slowly, "I would be happy to help with."

He took Adalyn's hand and raised it to his lips, giving the back of her palm a quick kiss.

"Prince Kallias Leontius Chariton Alexander Phentaghast! How wonderful to finally meet you." Adalyn smiled sweetly.

She had memorized his ridiculously long name just for the satisfaction of seeing Krem wither in jealousy. Adalyn looked out of the corner of her eye to see that Krem wasn't even watching her, and instead was striking up a conversation with a very old man by the punch.

Adalyn suppressed a growl of annoyance and went back to giving the cousin of Cassandra's all of her attention.

"…But what can I say, my dearest Inquisitor, except that I think we are meant to be together."

"Perhaps," She said vaguely, "I don't suppose you have an interest in dragon hunting?"

The Prince frowned slightly, "No, I do not suppose I do. My hobbies lean more towards selectively breeding plant species." His expression brightened upon that note as he clapped his hands, "I don't suppose you'd like to hear of my most recent venture?"

"Shoot." Adalyn sighed.

"I've just started working with the Fereldan geraniums, very fascinating stuff! You see…"

Adalyn snagged a glass of sherry from the nearby table and settled in for a long time of freaking planty boredom.

…

 _At least when Krem talks about his former mercenary jobs or dressmaking he actually makes it sound interesting!_

She groaned inwardly and shut her eyes for a moment, tuning out the incessant droning about the carnivorous plants the Prince had crossed with some Crystal Grace.

"I call it: Crystal Death!" He announced excitedly, swinging his empty glass of sherry in amusement.

"More like 'crystal meth', the way you carry on about it." Adalyn muttered under her breath.

"Sorry, what?" The Prince ducked his head and cocked his head with a curious smile.

"Oh, nothing, I was just wondering where my bodyguard ran off to." Adalyn set her sixth and empty glass of sherry down on the table and scanned the breadth of the marble hall.

"Ah, yes. That fellow. He didn't seem to like you all that much." The Prince said conversationally as Adalyn began moving towards the dessert bar, perusing through the assorted treats for some hidden Kreme Brulee.

"Did he?" She said in passing, almost brushing the prince off of her shoulder as he draped a hand over it.

"He seemed rather eager to leave your side this evening. I do say, I would rather keep company around myself I actually enjoy."

"You are so right, Prince Kallias." Adalyn turned around with a cutting smile.

"I haven't particularly enjoyed your company this evening, so I do not believe I will be calling on you again."

The Prince took his hand of her shoulder and paled.

"However, I'm sure Skyhold would be a much less dull place if you would be so kind as to send one of your lovely-sounding plant breeds."

He brightened up a bit at that; strengthening his coat and giving a smile and bow.

"I shall send my most unique specimen. Even if I hadn't won your heart this evening, I am glad at least to have interested you in the finer arts of plant collecting!"

He procured her hand once more and gave it a kiss, before smiling one final time and taking his leave, wandering off somewhere else into the party.

Adalyn breathed a sigh of relief then focused her senses.

She had to find Krem.

* * *

 **Sorry for the long hiatus! But I'm back!**

 **I was working on not only this chapter, but also the one after it, so expect the next one coming in short order.**

 **S.T.**


	27. Not Over Yet

Krem breathed in the heavy scent of burgundy wine and smoke as the Duchess clung to his arm.

They were seated in the parlor on a chaise, away from most of the party and guests.

He was growing impatient at her side, eyes scanning what was visible of the main hall for signs of Adalyn.

"As enjoyable this evening has been, your grace, I really must be getting back to my lady." He said resolutely, standing and bowing politely to the hostess.

The Duchess smiled and wrapped a hand around his arm, "Stay a few moments more, I will introduce you to a good friend of mine in the lower gentry. He quite enjoys retrieving artifacts and often hires adventuring companies such as your own to hunt the rarities down."

Krem reluctantly stayed his hasty retreat: one more wealthy contact couldn't hurt.

"If Your Grace insists,"

The Duchess lifted her hand from his arm with a smile and called out, "Where is Serra Tarverna?"

A servant rushed off to fetch the man immediately, and brought back a lively middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a jovial smile.

"Ah! Is this the promising young lad you intended for me to meet?" The man said in greeting, sizing Krem up and down approvingly and turning a gracious smile to the hostess.

"Indeed," The Duchess said with a slight twinkle in her eye, "He is." She turned again to Krem, introducing the man to him formally.

"Lieutenant, this is Lord Tarverna of Nevarra. He is something of a hoarder-"

"A collector—Madam- a collector!" The Lord interrupted in a jesting manner.

Krem could tell that the he and the Duchess were old friends, the way they joked around.

The Duchess stood with the two of them and adjusted her dress.

Krem sent a quick prayer up to Andraste, hoping that her neckline would remain something resembling a neckline.

Krem tuned back in to the conversation, realizing that the Duchess had started an altogether different topic than mercenary work.

"…Where is your lovely new bride? I have not met her yet and I would love to meet the radiant beauty you spoke of to me in your letters. I know if you married her, she must be as obsessed as you about old ruins and such things!"

The Lord laughed ruefully, "She acts more like my reins than my spurs, my dear. She has been quite the influence on the house's economy; she has saved me a fortune with her thrifty ways."

"A thrifty bride? Whoever heard of such a thing? Women are expensive you know." The Duchess chided.

"You're telling me," Krem muttered under his breath with a laugh.

The Lord seemed to have caught what he had said, turning with a merry twinkle in his eye to clap hand on Krem's shoulder, "You would know if you had a woman, wouldn't you! My dearest Duchess certainly has had her share of those experiences too, I would guess." He said with a waggling of eyebrows.

Krem looked to the Duchess, who was smirking behind her hand imperiously.

"Indeed, I have had relations with other women. More than you, I'd wager." She sniggered.

"Oh, you old spoilsport!" Chuckled the lord, "Come!" He exclaimed, turning back to Krem.  
"Speak to me of your mercenary group!"

They moved to a couch and sat down and spoke for what may have been a half an hour before someone in the crowd seemed to catch the Lord Taverna's eye.

"Here she is now!" The Lord called, "Come greet our hostess and this astounding lad, my love!"

A woman broke away from the crowded chattering mass of the ballroom and unhurriedly walked to where they sat in the parlor.

She wore a dress plainer than many at the soirée, electing to dress in plain, unornamented grey.

As she got closer, Krem got a better look at her, and once he did his face paled.

Stern expression, grey eyes, dark hair with grey streaks pinned back from her face.

A cold weight settled in the pit of his stomach.

 _Mother._

The woman stopped a few steps from the couch, leaving Lord Taverna enough room to exuberantly push off the couch and stand next to her.

"Lieutenant Cremisius, it would be my pleasure to introduce you to my lovely bride, Maria! You'd never guess it, but we've been married for just under a year now, we still act like newlyweds!" He said with a wink.

Krem swallowed, clearing his throat, and stood with as much strength as he could muster when all his knees wanted to do were shake.

"How do you do, Lady Tarverna?" Krem said with a bow, purposefully ignoring the proffered hand for him to kiss being extended in his general direction.

Her arm hung in the air for a few moments, unattended.

Krem still did not reach out and take it.

The silence between the Lord, Lady, Lieutenant, and Duchess grew highly uncomfortable as they all stood there staring at each other unmoving.

A sudden swoosh of air went rushing by as someone ducked in between Krem and his mother.

"A pleasure to meet the wife of a future business partner, I am sure." Cooed the person who scooped up his mother's hand in his stead and pressed it to their lips.

 _Oh no._

"I am sorry, but, who are you?" His mother frowned and withdrew her hand in distaste.

"Oh, me? I'm just Adalyn."

…

 _How did it come to this?_

Krem sat in between his disgruntled mother and Adalyn, who was obviously tipsy.

Adalyn was talking up a storm whilst his mother sat there with her lips pressed grimly together in a firm line.

"This is my first time to Nevarra! I am so glad I have Seeker Cassandra with me; else I would have been completely lost! Isn't that right, love?" Adalyn chatted away cheerfully, although it was evident she was getting worn out socially, prompting Krem to pipe up with a timed nudge of her elbow.

"Uh, yes. Very fortunate." He said briefly.

Another thing: Adalyn was acting like they were still an item.

The reason behind the sudden shift was most likely due to the fact that Adalyn somehow knew that his mother was the woman he had behaved so awkwardly in front of, and she had decided the best way to ease tension was to cling to him and pretend to be slightly more of an idiot than usual.

"The debate seems to be starting! Hooray! I was getting a bit bored." Adalyn yawned at the sound of the bell tolling through the hall and stretched back to lean on Krem's arm.

"I suppose that is our cue to say our farewells and depart for home, dear." Krem's mother said stiffly, standing and looking to her husband.

The cheery Lord hopped to his feet with her, "We should take care not to be neglectful guests! The debate is the event of the evening! We simply must stay."

Krem looked down to Adalyn resting on his arm, her cheek smushed into his shoulder; she looked as though she had already fallen asleep.

"Wake up, my heart." Krem whispered into her ear tentatively. Quietly enough so that he could deny having ever said it if she insisted they were still taking a break.

Adalyn was indeed, very asleep. She let out a loud snore and did not rouse.

A few guests who had heard the noise looked over in their direction.

Krem panicked.

"It was… me!" he said with a sheepish grin, "I trying to make her laugh so that she can get into the right sort of spirit for the debate!"

Everyone smiled and turned back to their business for selecting team members for the debate.

Krem breathed a sigh of relief, and then heard a mumbling coming from Adalyn.

"Come again?" He asked, lowering his head down to hear her better.

"I wanna go to bed." She grumbled into his sleeve.

"After the debate." He insisted softly.

"But I wanna sleep now." She whined

"Fine," He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his gloved hand. "I'll take you to bed."

"You take me to bed you'll have to marry me, you know." Adalyn giggled sleepily, snuggling back onto his shoulder.

Krem's eyebrow rose, "Oh, yes?"

"Mm-hm." Adalyn stood shakily with him and he began towing her in the direction of the stairs. "I guess we would get married tomorrow, if possible."

Krem laughed lightly at her mumblings, "At least let me propose first!"

"Oh, you'd have to propose to my Grandmere first and then maybe to Josephine. I think they're in charge of my hand… in marriage. But you know who has charge of my other hand? Solas. He's the only one who kind-of even knows how this thing works, so I guess you'd have to ask him too…"

"So I'd have to ask three people for your hands? That seems pretty excessive for a pair of hands in marriage."

"And I guess I'd have to ask your father, right? And Bull, I guess." Adalyn snorted drowsily in amusement, "'Hello, Bull! I'd like to abduct your Charger in marriage! Please don't kill me.' Or something."

Krem smiled fondly down at her and stooped down to press a kiss at her temple.

"Or we could just elope." Krem suggested; half serious, half joking.

"I like that idea." Adalyn nodded and staggered off into her darkened room, searching for the bed. "Less trouble. Though, I'd like Maryden and the Chargers…to be… there." She mumbled as she hit the bed and the hay.

Soon, she began snoring, and Krem let out a heavy sigh.

 _Marriage, huh? Weren't we just fighting? I swear, this girl…._

He moved forward quietly to the bedside and gently took the crown from her head and set it aside on the bedside table.

He looked at the thin golden chains wrapping around her body underneath her dress and thought momentarily about removing them so that she wouldn't wake up with strange patterns on her body from sleeping on them, but Krem stopped himself. He had already been too forward tonight.

For now, he would prop her up in bed, tuck her under the covers, and turn her head to the side.

He left the room, quietly closing the door behind him with a soft click.

Then, he turned to go back to his own room when suddenly he bumped into his father.

"Father!" He stammered in shock, "What are you doing out of our room?"

Then he noticed his father was wearing the garb he had seen adorning the servants in the downstairs hall.

"I was downstairs," His father said. His eyes suddenly seemed to Krem full of awareness.

"Your wife gave me these to blend in— she's a beautiful girl, by the way— But, Krem, my child: I saw your mother!" He gave a genuine, albeit breathy laugh. "She was radiant; I missed seeing her."

Krem suddenly realized he was staring numbly ahead, breath ragged, and his face wet with tears.

"What is the matter?" His father asked, noticing his state and reaching up to clap a hand on his son's shoulder.

Krem hurriedly wiped his cheeks and cleared his throat, "It's nothing, Father. I'm just… glad you feel like yourself again."

His father chuckled raspily, "You are quite right, my dear." He stretched out and cracked his stooped back, "Now, I am very tired and must get to bed! Are you coming, or are you sharing a room with your wife?"

His father began moving steadily, but unevenly back to their room in almost-hobbling steps.

Krem quickly began following his father down the hallway to their shared room. "She's not my wife," he corrected, feeling a slight blush tinge his hastily wiped cheeks.

"No?" He father said with a quirked eyebrow, "I could have sworn that's what she said…"

Krem felt a smile spread slowly across his face as he followed his father back to their room that night.

All was not lost.

* * *

 **I know I said that this one would be posted quickly, and I meant it, but I forgot to upload it for a week and a half after I finished it. SORRY!**

 **But, anyway, I remembered.**

 **So here's a little something for those of us in America right now who feel uncertain about the future, and for all those in other countries who think America has lost it's shit.**

 **Without further ado: here is Mamrie Hart's "Into the Darkness"**

 **Add to shaker:**

 **Crushed Raspberries**

 **Raspberry Liquor**

 **Black Vodka**

 **Shake.**

 **Pour into glass.**

 **Top with lambic beer.**

 **And drink to the memory my sanity, everybody!**

 **(More chapters are still happening, albeit slowly. So if you're still here reading this: Cheers to that!)**

 **S.T.**


End file.
